Asia has the potential to become a global leader in sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure as the region ramps up the construction of new data centers, a sustainability expert said.
Benjamin Soh, founder and managing director of ESGpedia, said Asia’s rapid buildout offers a “greenfield” opportunity to design facilities that are efficient and environmentally responsible, unlike in Western markets where older infrastructure remains in place.
ESG, which stands for environmental, social, and governance, is a set of standards used by investors, regulators, and companies to measure the sustainability and ethical impact of business operations. ESGpedia provides digital tools to track carbon footprints, verify sustainability data, and avoid greenwashing
“While Western markets have significant legacy infrastructure, Asia’s rapid build-out of new data centres presents a greenfield opportunity,” Soh told PhilSTAR Tech in an email interview.
“We can build the next generation of AI infrastructure with sustainability and efficiency integrated from the ground up.”
Soh noted that the region’s leadership is not limited to physical structures, as Asia could also take the lead in digital infrastructure that enables sustainability compliance.
“The region’s real opportunity is to lead in creating the digital infrastructure — the ESG data platforms, the supply chain decarbonisation tools, and the energy efficiency software — that will manage these facilities,” he said.
He added that Asian companies, given their role in global manufacturing, are well-placed to tackle sustainability challenges across the entire value chain, from the carbon footprint of microchips to the emissions of hyperscale data centers.
Implications for PH
The Department of Energy (DOE) has been urging developers of hyperscale data centers to source electricity from renewable energy to meet the massive demand of these facilities, which can range from eight to 125 megawatts each.
Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara earlier said the DOE has asked developers to map out their renewable energy sourcing plans to ensure that the country can match growing demand with adequate supply.
Some operators have already taken steps in this direction. In July last year, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) Philippines announced that all its operational data centers nationwide have transitioned to run on 100 percent renewable energy. The company said the shift demonstrates its commitment to sustainability while contributing to the DOE’s vision of greener digital infrastructure.
Soh added that investor confidence is increasingly tied to companies that can offer both clean energy solutions and the data infrastructure to prove their impact, describing it as the “unicorn formula” for green technology in the AI era.
“A company that can offer both a clean energy solution and the data infrastructure to prove its impact is fundamentally more valuable because it solves the customer’s entire problem — not just their energy needs, but also their reporting and credibility needs,” he said.
Addressing risks
Despite the opportunities, Soh warned that rising AI-driven demand for power may lead to inequities in access to renewable energy.
He said there is a possibility that large technology firms could corner most of the clean power supply, forcing smaller companies and other sectors to rely on fossil fuels.
“This could stifle innovation and create a deeply uneven playing field where only the wealthiest corporations can afford to be truly green,” Soh said.
Observers believe the challenge for governments in Asia, including the Philippines, is to ensure that the clean energy transition is equitable while keeping pace with the technological requirements of AI.
