Equinix to Help Accelerate AI Innovation in Singapore with US$260+ Million Data Center Expansion

Rhea-AI Summary

Equinix (EQIX) has announced plans to build its sixth International Business Exchange data center in Singapore, with an initial investment of US$260 million. The new facility, SG6, is designed to support next-generation workloads like AI and will feature advanced liquid cooling technology. Set to open in Q1 2027, the 9-story facility will provide 20MW when fully built and integrate into Equinix's global network of 268 interconnected data centers. The project aligns with Singapore's Green Plan 2030, incorporating sustainability features including renewable power agreements, lower carbon building materials, and energy-efficient cooling systems.

Positive

• Initial investment of US$260 million in new data center expansion
• 20MW capacity addition when fully built
• Strategic expansion in Singapore's growing digital economy (S$106 billion sector)
• 100% renewables coverage for Singapore data centers since 2020

Negative

• Long wait time until facility completion (Q1 2027)
• Significant capital expenditure required

Insights

Data Center Infrastructure Analyst

The $260M investment in SG6 represents a strategic expansion in Singapore's booming digital economy. The facility's 20MW capacity and advanced liquid cooling capabilities position it perfectly for high-density AI workloads, addressing a critical market need. The timing aligns with Singapore's rising digital sector, which grew from S$58B to S$106B between 2017-2022.

The integration with Equinix's global network of 268 data centers provides significant competitive advantages through interconnection services. The 2027 opening timeline may seem distant, but it's reasonable given the complexity of building advanced cooling systems and securing renewable energy infrastructure. The focus on sustainability, including 100% renewable coverage and advanced cooling technology, will likely result in lower operating costs and broader market appeal.

Sustainability Expert

This expansion demonstrates exemplary environmental planning, integrating multiple cutting-edge sustainability features. The commitment to renewable energy through the Sembcorp PPA, combined with advanced liquid cooling technology, positions this facility at the forefront of green data center design. The inclusion of rainwater harvesting and energy-efficient cooling systems shows a comprehensive approach to resource management.

The alignment with Singapore's Green Plan 2030 and the facility's selection in the DC-CFA pilot program indicates strong government support and reduced regulatory risks. These sustainability initiatives will likely translate to long-term operational cost savings and enhanced market competitiveness, particularly appealing to ESG-focused enterprise customers.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and SINGAPORE, Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX) announced plans for its latest data center in Singapore, aimed at enabling global businesses to leverage next generation workloads, like AI, in one of the region's fastest-growing digital economies. With an initial investment of US$260M, the new facility–named SG6–will be Equinix's sixth International Business Exchange™ (IBX^®) data center in Singapore. This new high performance data center will feature a world-class, sustainability-driven design built to efficiently handle compute intensive workloads like AI, supported by capabilities such as advanced liquid cooling. SG6 will help deliver the critical digital infrastructure needed to enable AI capabilities across industries and in the region.

Singapore, one of the region's leading technology hubs, is making both significant investments in advanced technologies like quantum computing while pioneering efforts to establish an AI governance framework. Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce highlights the remarkable growth of the digital sector in Singapore's economy, increasing from S$58 billion to S$106 billion between 2017 and 2022. However, to enable businesses to fully leverage these technologies which demand substantial computing power and data processing resources, an innovative and energy-efficient approach to digital infrastructure is essential.

The new facility follows Equinix's previously announced planned market entry into the Philippines in July and Thailand in October. SG6 will feature both environmental and operational efficiencies, enabling customers and the country to achieve goals related to their digital evolution while supporting sustainability commitments, including those associated with the Green Plan 2030, a comprehensive national strategy in Singapore to achieve sustainable development, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance environmental resilience by 2030.

Expected to open in Q1 2027, the 9-story facility was awarded as part of Singapore's pilot Data Centre - Call for Application ("DC-CFA") and will provide 20MW when fully built. With an initial investment of US$260 million, SG6 will integrate into Equinix's global network of 268 interconnected data centers (59 in Asia-Pacific) across 73 metros and 34 countries, delivering customers capacity, global reach, and seamless integration with additional interconnection and colocation services.

"Singapore is the region's hub for innovation, making it a global magnet for multinational companies and pioneering businesses, and a key market for Equinix," said Yee May Leong, Managing Director, Singapore, Equinix. "We expect that with the large demand for compute-intensive workloads, like AI, the demand for data center capacity will continue to rise, and Equinix is well equipped to support these next-generation workloads. By integrating the latest sustainability innovations, our new AI-ready data center can enable businesses to leverage next generation workloads responsibly and more sustainably."

Equinix data centers in Singapore have achieved 100% renewables coverage since 2020. SG6 is expected to further incorporate key sustainability and efficiency efforts with features including:

• advanced liquid cooling technology, which allows the transfer of heat more efficiently than air, and often necessary for high-density hardware, like GPUs
• renewable power purchase agreement (PPA) in Singapore with Sembcorp Industries, which supports the addition of new renewable energy capacity to the local electric grid
• lower carbon building materials
• energy-efficient water-cooled chiller and cooling towers
• rainwater harvesting capabilities

 Additional Resources:

• Equinix Supports Singapore's Green Plan by Entering a Renewable Energy PPA with Sembcorp [press release]
• Equinix to Extend its Digital Infrastructure Platform to the Philippines with Acquisition of Three Data Centers [press release]
• Equinix Releases Annual Sustainability Report, Highlighting Advancements in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Goals [press release]
• Exploring Liquid Cooling for Next-Gen Business Applications [blog]
• Singapore Elevates Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Beyond Data Centers [press release]

About Equinix

Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) is the world's digital infrastructure company^®. Digital leaders harness Equinix's trusted platform to bring together and interconnect foundational infrastructure at software speed. Equinix enables organizations to access all the right places, partners and possibilities to scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value, while supporting their sustainability goals. 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, risks to our business and operating results related to the current inflationary environment; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; increased costs to procure power and the general volatility in the global energy market; the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX^® and xScale^® data centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix products and solutions; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenues from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; risks related to our taxation as a REIT and other risks described from time to time in Equinix filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see recent and upcoming Equinix quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

 

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SOURCE Equinix, Inc.

FAQ

When will Equinix's (EQIX) new Singapore data center SG6 open?

Equinix's new SG6 data center in Singapore is expected to open in Q1 2027.

How much is Equinix (EQIX) investing in its new Singapore data center?

Equinix is making an initial investment of US$260 million in the new SG6 data center facility.

What will be the power capacity of Equinix's (EQIX) new SG6 data center?

The new SG6 facility will provide 20MW of power capacity when fully built.

How many data centers will Equinix (EQIX) have in Singapore after SG6?

SG6 will be Equinix's sixth International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Singapore.