U Power will establish a 100 MW hydrogen-powered data center in Thailand, starting with a 3 MW pilot project.
U Power, in partnership with Hydro Data JV, is set to establish a 100 MW hydrogen-powered data center in Rayong, Thailand. This initiative is backed by CEWA Group, an infrastructure developer, and Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment, a manufacturer specializing in hydrogen systems.
The project will initially launch a pilot data center with a capacity of 3 MW, which aims to evaluate technological effectiveness and the economic framework prior to the full-scale rollout.
Hydro Data JV will manage the energy system's integration and operations utilizing artificial intelligence. Guofu Hydrogen Energy will provide the necessary generation equipment and maintenance, while CEWA Group will manage local infrastructure requirements.
U Power plans to establish a subsidiary in Thailand by the end of July, anticipating operations to commence within 90 days following registration.
The joint venture was formed in April, collaborating with Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment and Cloud Digital Chain Limited. The focus is on generating revenue through the design, supply, installation, operation, and management of energy systems that will serve as primary and backup power sources for the data center.
This venture enters a booming market, with Thailand's Investment Board recently approving six significant projects valued at 958 billion baht (approximately $29 billion), including three data center initiatives worth a combined 913 billion baht (around $27 billion). These projects feature expansions for TikTok, a 200 MW data center by DAMAC Group, and a 134 MW facility by Bridge Data Centres.
Additionally, a recent report from The Economist suggested that we may soon see the era of space-based data centers.
