Apac data centre capacity to double by 2030, AI boom creating ‘generational shift’ in power demand: JLL
Data facility capacity in Asia Pacific (Apac) is forecasted to nearly double by 2020, as AI-fuelled growth reverses a decades-long pattern of steady or decreasing electricity requirement, according to study by JLL.
The constraints are creating brand-new possibilities in associated markets. One such opportunity lies in battery energy storage systems (BESS), which JLL posits will certainly play a significantly essential duty in managing restricted grid access and renewable energy intermittency. “They function as shock absorbers for constricted grids, charging when power is cheap and abundant, after that releasing when demand and cost are high,” stated Eastwick.
That change has emphatically improved the data center landscape, with grid facilities currently emerging as the key restriction. “Power need is rising faster than grids were built to handle,” commented Matt Eastwick, JLL’s US group head and senior handling director for energy and facilities.
In any case, securing power supply is currently leading of mind for data centre investors in Apac, said James Cameron, JLL’s head of energy and framework for the region. “In liberalised industry in Apac, like Australia, India, Japan and the Philippines, position and area of grid link is the initial question for financiers and has the biggest assessment impact for development assets.”
Amidst a decentralised increase of new renewable resource resources, presenting transmission infrastructure– initially developed for big, centralised power plant– has struggled to cope, resulting in considerable grid congestion around the world.
At the same time, grid accessibility obstacles are motivating sector gamers to come to be direct players in the electricity market, with some technology companies opting to outright purchase operating renewable assets to ensure energy supply, according to JLL.
Data collected by the real estate consultancy shows that Apac data centre capability will hop from 32 gigawatts (GW) to 57 GW by 2030. Globally, data centre capacity is expected to hit 200GW already, steered mainly by hyperscale cloud expansion and AI need.
The AI and data center boom has actually resulted in a “generational shift in power demand”, claimed Steven Jack, the company’s head of energy and infrastructure for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in a Sept 8 release. “Utilities that were forecasting moderate expansion are now grappling with numbers virtually double their previous estimates.”
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Against this backdrop, hyperscalers have disclosed US$ 200 billion ($ 253 billion) in infrastructure spending for 2026, up 51% from 2025. However, despite the document capital investment, interconnection lines up for new sustainable projects now encompass 4 years or more in some regions, with particular areas forced to pause new connections totally, according to JLL.
As a result, grid access is increasingly driving decision-making for developers, data centre drivers, energy firms, and tech business. “For any type of energy developer, without a grid connection, you don’t have a project,” Jack revealed. “For financiers, this grid congestion translates directly into danger, however it likewise creates a deficiency costs for properties that offer or secure grid access.”
While data center build-out still outpaces grid planning in a number of Apac markets, Cameron expects local dynamics and grid access obstacles to drive brand-new partnership versions. “While the solution will differ depending on scenarios, it is clear we will see many more partnership opportunities and innovative solutions in between information centre and power clients across the region.”
