Singapore aims to drive innovation and economic growth through AI and lead the launch of an AI governance framework. To this end, it is making massive investments in quantum technologies, blockchain, and edge computing to secure technological leadership.

Equinix announced today that it is building SG6, its sixth International Business Exchange (IBX) data centre in the region, supporting Singapore’s Green Plan 2030.

With an initial investment of $260 million, the SG6 data center will be powered by renewable energy and will feature liquid cooling capabilities to support compute-intensive workloads, including AI.

SG6 adds to Equinix’s interconnected global data center network, facilitating low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity between AI and data resources and supporting efficient operation of AI workflows across diverse geographic locations. It is said to be particularly useful for enterprises that require AI on a large scale with short latency and diverse infrastructure.

Scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2027, the nine-storey SG6 has been selected as part of Singapore’s Data Centre - Call for Application (DC-CFA) pilot programme and will supply 20MW upon completion.

To realize Singapore’s AI technology leadership, significant computing power and data processing resources are needed. We are expanding our data center capacity with trusted and environmentally responsible companies.

Equinix is signing a renewable energy power purchase agreement (PPA) with Sembcorp Industries, using low-carbon building materials, and providing energy-efficient water-cooled chillers and cooling towers, as well as rainwater reuse capabilities.

SG6 features liquid cooling technology that transfers heat more efficiently than air and provides effective cooling for high-power applications. We are also pursuing private-public sector partnerships in Singapore and the APAC region.

In partnership with the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and Dell Technologies, we have provided guidance and recommendations to modernise digital infrastructure deployment in a sustainable manner and optimise integration and exploitation across hardware and software interfaces.

“Data centres serve as the digital infrastructure that underpins Singapore’s efforts towards a Smart Nation 2.0, enabling a resilient digital economy that today accounts for approximately 18% of our GDP,” said Aileen Chia, Assistant Secretary for Connectivity Development and Regulation at the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore. “Equinix’s unwavering commitment to sustainability aligns with our Green DC Roadmap to accelerate data centre energy efficiency and green energy use to support the sustainable growth of Singapore’s digital economy. Singapore will continue to collaborate across the industry ecosystem to pioneer solutions for the sustainable growth of data centres,” he said.

“With the continued growth of Southeast Asia’s digital economy, Singapore is expected to be well-positioned to thrive in sectors such as finance, healthcare and e-commerce, which presents tremendous opportunities for the development of generative AI,” said Pei Sheng Goh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Digital Industries Agency, Singapore. “This collaboration will strengthen Singapore’s capacity to meet AI computing requirements, increase data connectivity for local and APAC regional businesses, and create economic value for Singapore.”

“The rise of compute-intensive workloads will require greater capacity, and Equinix is well positioned to support these next-generation workloads,” said Yee May Leong, Country Manager, Equinix Singapore. “Our new AI-ready data centre, SG6, which integrates the latest sustainable innovations, will help enterprises build responsibly sustainable digital infrastructure.”

Meanwhile, Equinix currently operates 268 data centers in 73 cities in 34 countries around the world. In the Asia Pacific region, it operates 59 data centers in 15 major cities in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore, including Korea, and has announced market entry in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.