As Malaysia’s data centre industry rapidly expands, a focus on sustainability has become crucial, according to Thyaga Rajan, CEO of Basis Bay. Speaking at the CloudTech and Data Centre Conference 2024, Rajan highlighted the urgent need for renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies to combat the sector’s significant carbon footprint.
Data centres, which consume substantial amounts of electricity, are set to demand even more power in the coming years. By 2035, Malaysia’s energy consumption is expected to surpass 5,000 megawatts (MW). To meet the energy needs of nine new data centre projects planned for 2024 alone, approximately 700 MW of energy will be required. Additionally, recent agreements have committed around 2,000 MW to satisfy these demands.
Rajan stressed that Malaysia lags in renewable energy investments, with renewable sources making up only 6% of the national energy mix. Solar power contributes a mere 1.5%, leaving the majority to non-renewable sources like coal and natural gas.
To address these challenges, Rajan urged investment in renewable energy options such as solar, hydroelectric, biogas, and wind power. Basis Bay is committed to reducing its environmental impact through innovative technologies and practices, including energy-efficient hardware and sustainable building designs modeled after green commercial structures like the Bullitt Center in the U.S. and the Pixel Building in Australia.
Rajan also highlighted the importance of integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize data centre operations and extend the lifecycle of server equipment. He called on other industry players to adopt best practices, support emission reduction regulations, and embrace sustainable data centre design.
Basis Bay’s latest project, the Basis Bay Data Centre 2 in Cyberjaya, exemplifies the company’s dedication to eco-friendly IT infrastructure.
