As Singapore ramps up initiatives like the Data Centre–Call for Application (DC‑CFA2), a new wave of collaboration is accelerating the push for energy‑ and water‑efficient, low‑carbon data centre solutions.
An important step forward is our memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sembcorp Industries Ltd, signed under the Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed (STDCT) Phase 2.0 initiative. As AI drives higher rack densities, the challenge is no longer simply adding more power or more cooling; it is about designing an integrated system where energy, water, cooling, controls and digital intelligence work together.
Under this collaboration, areas being explored include:
- Developing a centralised cooling plant that can utilise recycled and/or seawater to achieve optimal, cost effective Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE)
- Evaluating the feasibility of using the most suitable heat source from Sembcorp’s existing assets to produce chilled water via absorption chillers
- Assessing cooling technologies to meet data centre requirements, including varying cooling needs across different operations and rack densities
The CDE team is led by Professor Lee Poh Seng, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Executive Director of the Energy Studies Institute (ESI); with contributions from Prof Akshay Kumar Rathore, Assoc Prof Sanjib Kumar Panda from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Prof Md Raisul Islam from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. This partnership strengthens a broader initiative with JTC Corporation to develop Jurong Island as a living platform for testbedding next‑generation, low‑carbon, AI‑ready infrastructure, supporting its refresh and green‑transition agenda.
With Sembcorp’s capabilities in integrated energy, utilities and decarbonisation pathways, we can move beyond concepts into system‑level engineering validation—advancing research in digital twins, multi‑energy grids, and water‑ and energy‑efficient cooling technologies for Singapore’s sustainable data centre future.
