US-based Digital Realty, a data centre operator that won a recent Singapore tender, is considering the use of imported renewable electricity for its upcoming premises.
Digital Realty has "firm agreements in place" for low-carbon electricity from regional sources, to be delivered into Singapore via subsea cables, it told Argus.
Digital Realty did not disclose the source of imported power, but said that renewable energy certificates issued on the power generated will be used in line with local standards to match residual use of gas power.
Other clean energy sources will also be used to power its upcoming capacity expansion, including on-site solar. The operator is also exploring future use of low-carbon hydrogen, Digital Realty said.
Singapore awarded four data centre operators 50MW of new data centre capacity each last week, through a competitive tender that included clean energy provisions. Proponents had to detail how they can power at least 50pc of their capacity through eligible green energy pathways, such as biomethane, low-carbon hydrogen, or integrated solar facilities. They also must commit to using energy- and water-efficient equipment.
The three other tender winners were local firms ST Telemedia Global Data Centres and Keppel Data Centres, and US-based Equinix.
Equinix is working with the I-Track Foundation, which manages the I-RECs scheme, on data assessments for cross-border renewable energy certificate trading frameworks, but it does not have specific cross-border import arrangements to announce currently, it told Argus.
Equinix is investing in research and collaboration on low-carbon energy pathways in Singapore including clean hydrogen, geothermal, nuclear energy and fuel cells, it said. Its eventual energy mix will depend on regulation, market and technology factors, it added.
Keppel expects to use a mix of eligible green energy pathways, it told Argus on 26 August. ST Telemedia also said that sourcing will depend on what is available and can be secured moving forward.
Keppel and Digital Realty said their respective 50MW capacities are expected to be operational by 2029.
Singapore last month released draft legislation for data centres, which laid out how the government intends to regulate the sector's carbon and electricity footprints.
Singapore is aiming to import around 6GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035. Over a dozen import projects from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam are in various stages of preparation.
Argus last assessed current-year Singapore solar I-RECs on 20 August at $24.50/MWh. Similar certificates from Malaysia were assessed at $3.20/MWh, and $0.32/MWh from Vietnam. These I-RECs are currently not part of any operational cross-border electricity trading frameworks.
