According to a report released by Wood Mackenzie, regulators across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are increasingly requiring data centre operators to ensure reliable power supply and procure clean energy as the rapid growth of data centres places greater pressure on electricity grids, The research firm said the region is witnessing a significant expansion in digital infrastructure, with around 32 gigawatt (GW) of data centre capacity planned across more than 1,150 projects.
As concerns over energy consumption intensify, data centre developers are being asked to incorporate battery energy storage systems, manage curtailment risks and contribute to grid stability in order to secure access to constrained power networks.
Wood Mackenzie noted that countries such as Japan, India and South Korea are introducing incentives and policy frameworks aimed at reducing pressure on congested metropolitan areas while encouraging the development of new digital infrastructure corridors.
However, the report cautioned that while such measures can help accelerate access to power and support long-term sustainability goals, they also increase project costs and add to operational complexity for data centre operators.
