Singapore is among the densest data centre markets globally
What next for Singapore?
Did you know: Singapore has one of the densest data centre capacities in the world?
Minister Josephine Teo last week noted that Singapore has more data centres relative to its GDP compared to countries like China and Japan.
This remark was made at the Brainstorm AI Singapore event last week and reported on local broadsheet The Straits Times.
Densest data centre market
This assertion caught my attention. As data centre observers will know, China and Japan are data centre juggernauts in APAC.
I did a quick check and it's true.
- Singapore at 1x GDP has 1,443 MW.
- Japan at 10x the GDP has 2,561 MW*.
- China at 38x the GDP has 3,800 MW^.
Of course, detractors will point out that data centre growth is growing sharply globally and is literally off the charts in markets such as Johor, buoyed by the trillion-dollar generative AI market.
Just not in Singapore.
*DC Byte
^Cushman & Wakefield.
Everyone will face this problem
It is not that Singapore doesn't want to build more data centres but is once again limited by its severe lack of renewable energy.
And the thinking of the Singapore government is this: This challenge is something that everyone will face - sooner or later.
Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary said as much in his speech at Google's launch of its fourth data centre in June.
He said: “This challenge [of sustainability] is not unique to Singapore; eventually, all of us, wherever we are in the world, are going to be faced with these constraints.”
What now for Singapore?
Meta's 150MW facility in Singapore is the largest data centre here and will likely remain so far into the foreseeable future.
Even now, Singaporeans are heading overseas for their annual long weekend getaways or preparing to catch the NDP celebrations tomorrow.
As we celebrate Singapore's 59th birthday in our own ways, it is worth pondering the trillion-dollar question of our era: Has Singapore already lost the data centre race?
And is the curtain closing on Singapore as a global data hub?
I'll share my thoughts about this tomorrow.
For now, you might want to read why the Singapore government is upset with Meta over scams.
