Apac data centre capacity to double by 2030, AI boom creating ‘generational shift’ in power demand: JLL
Data compiled by the property consultancy shows that Apac data center capacity will jump from 32 gigawatts (GW) to 57 GW by 2030. Globally, data centre capacity is assumed to hit 200GW by then, driven mostly by hyperscale cloud expansion and AI need.
At the same time, grid accessibility difficulties are prompting sector gamers to come to be direct participants in the electricity market, with some technology companies choosing to outright purchase operating renewable assets to ensure electrical power supply, according to JLL.
While data facility build-out still outpaces grid planning in several Apac markets, Cameron expects local characteristics and grid access challenges to drive brand-new partnership models. “Whilst the solution will differ relying on circumstances, it is clear we will see a lot more collaboration opportunities and innovative solutions in between data centre and power customers throughout the area.”
Consequently, grid access is progressively driving decision-making for developers, data centre operators, energy firms, and tech firms. “For any type of energy developer, without having a grid link, you don’t have a project,” Jack explained. “For investors, this grid congestion translates straight into danger, yet it likewise produces a shortage costs for assets that offer or obtain grid accessibility.”
The AI and data center boom has led to a “generational shift in energy need”, claimed Steven Jack, the firm’s head of energy and infrastructure for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in a Sept 8 release. “Utilities that were figuring moderate expansion are now grappling with numbers nearly double their previous price quotes.”
Against this backdrop, hyperscalers have reported US$ 200 billion ($ 253 billion) in infrastructure investing for 2026, up 51% from 2025. Nevertheless, in spite of the record capital expenditure, interconnection lines up for brand-new eco-friendly projects now include four years or even more in some regions, with particular areas required to pause new links totally, according to JLL.
That shift has emphatically reshaped the information center landscape, with grid infrastructure currently becoming the main constraint. “Power need is increasing faster than grids were constructed to handle,” commented Matt Eastwick, JLL’s US group head and senior handling director for energy and infrastructure.
All the same, safeguarding power supply is currently leading of mind for data centre investors in Apac, claimed James Cameron, JLL’s head of energy and facilities for the region. “In liberalised markets in Apac, such as Australia, India, Japan and the Philippines, status and area of grid connection is the very first inquiry for financiers and has the biggest valuation impact for development assets.”
In the middle of a decentralised increase of new renewable energy sources, existing transmission infrastructure– initially designed for big, centralised power plant– has struggled to cope, causing significant grid congestion around the world.
The restrictions are creating brand-new possibilities in similar markets. One such possibility hinges on battery energy storage systems (BESS), which JLL posits will certainly play a progressively essential role in managing limited grid access and renewable energy intermittency. “They function as shock absorbers for constricted grids, billing when power is low-priced and plenty, then discharging when demand and price are high,” claimed Eastwick.
Data center capacity in Asia Pacific (Apac) is predicted to nearly double by 2020, as AI-fuelled expansion turns around a decades-long trend of stable or declining electricity demand, according to research by JLL.
