Bridge Data Centres to invest up to S$5 billion in Singapore AI push
The Bain Capital-backed firm is aiming for 2 gigawatts of regional capacity by 2030
[SINGAPORE] Singapore-headquartered hyperscale data centre provider Bridge Data Centres (BDC) on Thursday (Mar 12) announced plans to invest S$3 billion to S$5 billion in an artificial intelligence (AI) push.
The Bain Capital-backed firm said that it aims to “advance next-generation digital infrastructure and strengthen (Singapore’s) position as a leading AI and cloud hub in Asia-Pacific”.
BDC said it is targeting 2 gigawatts of regional data centre capacity by 2030. The company currently develops and operates hyperscale campuses in Malaysia, Thailand and India.
To manage the high power requirements of AI workloads, BDC said it is exploring “alternative energy pathways”, including hydrogen and nuclear power. The firm added that it has partnered Concord New Energy to develop a “floating hydrogen power generation solution” in Singapore.
Separately, it is working with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s Institute of High Performance Computing and Singapore-based engineering consultancy HY to “evaluate the potential of nuclear energy as a long-term clean power source for data centres”. BDC also has tie-ups with energy and battery firms CATL, SK Innovation and EcoCeres. These partnerships aim to explore biomass energy and the deployment of energy storage technologies designed for tropical climates.
To address the thermal output of AI servers, BDC has agreements with hardware and technology providers such as Vertiv, Delta Electronics and Supermicro, as well as Zhongji Innolight subsidiaries Terahop and Teracule. The collaborations aim to develop advanced liquid cooling systems and high-density graphics processing unit cooling architectures.
BDC said its local investments will fund joint research programmes and technology pilots with universities and research institutions. These initiatives are projected to support talent development and create jobs for “around 3,000 students and professionals” in fields such as engineering and energy systems research.
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