亚太 数据中心要点 - 如何看待冷却、通用算力即服务-Data Centers - Asia-Pacific_ DC takeaways - Thailand interest picking up, how to think of cooling, GPUaaS

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - Data Center Market in Asia-Pacific: The data center market in Thailand is emerging as a new destination for regional deployment, with a pipeline capacity of 2.6GW in Bangkok, which increased by over 1.7GW in 2024 [1][12]. Johor, Malaysia, has a pipeline market of 5.7GW but has seen a slowdown in incremental supply growth due to stricter local regulations [1]. Core Insights - AI Demand Growth: AI-related demand is expected to contribute approximately 25-30% of incremental data center demand in markets like Thailand, although current AI capacity in APAC (excluding China) is only about 1GW [2]. Customers remain cost-sensitive regarding AI workloads, leading to deployments in markets like Malaysia and Australia [2]. - Edge Data Centers: There is a strong demand for smaller edge data centers at metro edges, which are essential for AI inference due to low latency requirements. Telecom operators are well-positioned to capitalize on this trend [3]. - GPU as a Service (GPUaaS): The GPUaaS market is projected to be significant, with estimates ranging from $35 billion to $70 billion globally by 2030. Companies like Singtel are well-positioned to benefit from this growth [4]. Pricing and Cost Analysis - Data Center Pricing Variability: Pricing for data centers varies significantly across the region, with Singapore being the most expensive at up to $300/KW/month, while Malaysia offers lower rates around $90-95/KW/month due to lower land costs [27][30]. - Cost Structure: In Japan, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) costs constitute 59% of total data center build costs, highlighting the importance of these components in overall expenditure [25]. Market Dynamics - Regulatory Environment: In Johor, the local government is becoming more selective in approving new data center projects, focusing on water and power usage efficiency [46]. There are currently 13 live projects with a total approved capacity of 1774MW, but only about 500MW is operational [46]. - Investment Trends: The Johor Special Economic Zone (SEZ) agreement between Malaysia and Singapore is expected to enhance cross-border connectivity and attract global investments, particularly in data centers [46]. Emerging Technologies - Liquid Cooling Solutions: Liquid cooling is becoming increasingly relevant for data centers hosting AI workloads, as traditional air-cooling systems fail to support higher rack densities required for AI [30][31]. Various liquid cooling methods are being explored, including direct-to-chip and immersion cooling [31]. - AI Workloads and Infrastructure: AI workloads require higher densities, with rack densities exceeding 100KW/rack, necessitating advanced cooling solutions [38]. The demand for AI infrastructure is expected to grow rapidly, with significant investments needed to meet this demand [24]. Conclusion - The data center industry in the Asia-Pacific region is experiencing rapid growth driven by AI demand, regulatory changes, and technological advancements. Companies like Singtel and Indosat are positioned to benefit from these trends, particularly in GPUaaS and liquid cooling technologies. The evolving landscape presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly in terms of regulatory compliance and infrastructure development.