STT GDC deploys renewable fuel for Singapore data centres

STT GDC has deployed a renewable fuel to replace conventional diesel for its data centres in Singapore.

Last week, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) made an announcement that didn't make it to the mainstream press.

It's a noteworthy development for sustainability, though.

Sustainable fuel

STT GDC announced the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a renewable alternative to diesel, for its backup generators.

• First to deploy HVO in data centres here.
• Will use across its 6 data centres eventually.
• Starting with an initial deployment of 50,000 litres.

HVO is produced from waste fats and vegetable oils, and can be used with most diesel engines without modification, making it a "drop-in" fuel.

More about HVO

STT GDC says it has performed thorough testing with its partners to validate compatibility, performance for data centre operations.

• HVO from fuel supplier Neste.
• Issued with Proof of Sustainability.
• Lowers GHG emissions up to 90% over diesel.

This initiative aligns with STT GDC’s broader global sustainability goals to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Why does it matter?

STT GDC operates a fleet of 6 data centres in Singapore, with ~110MW of capacity, and is among the largest data centre operators here.

To be clear, backup generators only kick in during an outage, and Singapore's power system is one of the most reliable in the world. So the chances of burning diesel isn't exactly high.

However, STT GDC would need to plan for a protracted outage and be confident of shipments of HVO for days of continuous operation.

So this is a huge vote of confidence in the HVO supply chain that will hopefully encourage other data centres or even other industries to follow suit.

And every bit of effort towards sustainability matters.

STT GDC 6 @ Loyang

I last visited STT GDC 6 at Loyang earlier this year, when I saw Sustainable Metal Cloud's GPU cloud deployment - it uses immersion cooling, optimised for maximum efficiency.

(Read "I just saw the future of AI data centres" here)

Do you know of meaningful sustainability efforts by other data centre operators in Singapore or in the region? Drop me a note!