Key Takeaways
- Singapore-based Vena Group plans to build green data centers in Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan.
- Its new subsidiary, Vena Nexus, is in talks with 10 US and Asian tech companies.
- The goal is to meet the AI sector’s surging energy needs with clean power.
- Vena Nexus has an initial pipeline of about 3GW for these data center projects.
Singapore-based renewables developer Vena Group is setting its sights on key Asian markets for a significant new initiative: building green data centers.
The company identifies Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan as prime locations to develop these facilities, specifically to cater to the booming artificial intelligence (AI) sector.
Vena Group’s newly launched subsidiary, Vena Nexus, is spearheading this effort. Simone Grasso, the subsidiary’s global head and CIO of Vena Group, revealed that they are already in discussions with ten technology companies from the US and Asia.
These talks center on developing large-scale data facilities powered by clean energy, though Grasso did not disclose the names of the potential partners.
The demand for power from the AI sector has surged, as AI systems rely on massive amounts of data housed in facilities that need stable electricity and constant cooling.
Power producers are racing to keep up. While tech giants like Microsoft Corp are exploring renewables, others, such as Chevron Corp, are considering natural gas.
“After the AI breakthrough in 2023, we noticed a lot more demand for power,” Grasso stated in an interview, according to Free Malaysia Today, which cited Bloomberg News. He emphasized Vena’s ambition to play a crucial role in meeting this demand in Asia.
Grasso also mentioned that the firm is discussing several smaller-scale projects, but did not provide further details.
Vena Nexus begins with a substantial foundation, inheriting a pipeline of approximately 3GW of data center developments from Vena Energy, the group’s renewables unit.
The new firm will construct and operate green digital infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region. This venture builds on Vena Group’s established experience, having already developed 38GW in solar and wind projects.
