Equinix announces highly sustainable SG6 data centre

Equinix today announced SG6, a 20MW data centre awarded under the pilot DC-CFA. Here are the details not found in its press release.

I spoke with Yee May Leong and Gavin O'Reilly yesterday, and they talked about what will possibly be the most sustainable data centre in Singapore when completed.

DC-CFA for sustainability

Many of you will know about the 2019 moratorium on new data centres in Singapore. This ended after 3 years with the pilot Data Centre - Call for Application (DC-CFA).

The DC-CFA process was created to award capacity to new data centres. The catch? Winners must meet criteria around efficiency, decarbonisation, and sustainability.

One of four winners, Equinix's SG6 gives us the clearest look yet at a sustainable data centre of the future.

Doesn't look like a data centre

Here are some features of the 9-storey SG6 data centre, which will open in Q1 2027.

• Rainwater harvesting.
• Naturally ventilated corridors.
• Horizontal, vertical solar panels*.
• Energy-efficient magnetic bearing chillers.
• Use lower-carbon intensity concrete, materials.

And it's even topped off with a green facade and a roof garden. I imagine you can argue it has both form and substance.

It's worth noting that SG6 is only the 2nd data centre in Singapore that will sport vertical solar panels.

*Solar panels rated at 800kW peak.

AI-ready with 100kW racks

SG6 is ready for AI workloads with the ability to support 100kW racks. This is adequate to support Nvidia's latest B200 family of GPUs.

Other features:

• Higher floor loading for heavier racks.
• Direct-to-chip cooling will be available.
• Liquid cooling will use condenser water.

Note that only direct-to-chip and air cooling is available. However, there are no minimum requirements to use liquid cooling.

I also enquired and was told SG6 will use lithium-ion batteries for its UPS. As per the latest SCDF standards, battery rooms will be located on the ground floor.

A new cluster in the West

SG6 will be located at Jalan Tukang, diagonally across the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) from the SG5 data centre at Tanjong Kling.

With SG2 data centre just further down the expressway, this means Equinix now have a cluster of 3 data centres within a stone's throw of each other.

It looks like this:

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ SG6
=== (AYE) ===
SG2 SG5

Given that SG5 is also 9-storey high, the completion of SG6 will give Equinix the 2nd and 3rd tallest data centres in Singapore - first place goes to Meta for its massive, 11-storey, 150MW data centre.

What do you think of SG6?

Read the full article I wrote on W.Media here.