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Equinix, CLP Power cut energy consumption, carbon emissions in Hong Kong data centre with industry set for big expansion

  • Equinix and CLP Power have managed to reduce energy consumption by 30 per cent and avoided 51 tonnes of carbon emissions at Sha Tin site
  • Gross floor space in Hong Kong data centres is forecast to expand 30 per cent by 2025, according to Cushman

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A worker maintains equipment at China Mobile’s data centre in a cloud computing base in Zhongwei City, northwestern Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Photo: Xinhua
Yujie Xue
US data centre provider Equinix is working with electricity company CLP Power to increase energy efficiency its data centre in Hong Kong, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and support the city’s efforts to achieve its carbon-neutrality goal.
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Since implementing an airflow system at Equinix’s HK4 facility in Sha Tin in New Territories, they have managed to reduce electricity consumption by almost 30 per cent and saved 130,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and averted 51 tonnes of carbon emissions. That is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of about 300 households in the city.

Funded by CLP, they implemented the airflow optimisation and management system at the Sha Tin facility to monitor air temperature in data halls and adjust air circulation accordingly to prevent excessive power usage in cooling computer rooms. Together with Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), they announced the latest progress of their collaboration last week.

Equinix partners with CLP Power to reduce energy consumption and emissions at its HK4 site in Sha Tin amid Hong Kong’s green push. Photo: Handout
Equinix partners with CLP Power to reduce energy consumption and emissions at its HK4 site in Sha Tin amid Hong Kong’s green push. Photo: Handout

“The project sets an example for the data centre industry on energy saving,” said Anthony Lo, director of customer success and sales at CLP Power. CLP will also conduct analysis for other industries such as hospitals and shopping malls, while promoting the airflow system in large commercial centres and other institutions, he added.

California-based Equinix is the world’s largest data centre provider with more than 240 sites in 71 markets. Its ecosystem is bigger than its 10 next competitors combined. The firm has spent US$129 million on energy efficiency investments globally and avoided roughly 430,000 metric tons of emissions, according to its website.

Hong Kong has experienced a boom in demand for data centres, driven by a surge in the digital economy during the Covid-19 pandemic. The city ranked fourth in data centre developments based on strong connectivity and low taxes, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s annual ranking.

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