The AI push is becoming an energy race: Sembcorp

THE global push to lead in artificial intelligence is becoming a race to secure energy. As countries compete to attract investment in data centres, access to energy is emerging as a critical differentiator.

The scale of the demand is unprecedented.

The International Energy Agency said that by 2030, global electricity consumption from AI facilities is projected to reach about 1,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, more than doubling from around 415 TWh today.

Meeting this demand will require significant investments in power generation, storage and grid infrastructure to support an increasingly digital and electrified economy. 

This is reshaping the energy transition. While decarbonisation remains a long-term priority, the rapid growth of AI and digital infrastructure is placing greater emphasis on reliability, resilience and scalability.

Beyond driving the demand for dependable electricity, AI is also helping companies optimise operations and manage increasingly complex power systems.

This growing interdependence raises a critical question: Can the energy systems behind the AI economy keep pace with its electricity needs?

At Sembcorp, as a provider of energy and urban solutions, we are powering the growth of AI-driven industries through sustainable energy solutions, while using AI in our operations to enhance safety, efficiency and performance.

When energy meets intelligence

As power systems become more complex, operators need better tools to manage fluctuations in supply and demand.

SEE ALSO

Beyond data centre Reits: The AI potential that Singapore investors are still missing

‘Buying opportunity’: Sembcorp’s India unit IPO could lift group value by up to 10%

Renewable energy sources – such as solar and wind – are inherently variable, with output changing according to weather conditions, time of day and seasonal patterns.

AI helps address this complexity by turning vast amounts of operational data into actionable insights.

By identifying patterns, predicting equipment behaviour and enabling faster decisions, it allows operators to move from reactive responses to predictive and proactive operations.

Sembcorp’s diverse portfolio of thermal power, renewables, energy storage and urban solutions provides a platform for deploying AI at scale.

By harnessing data and digital capabilities, we are improving performance, enhancing reliability and empowering teams to make better-informed decisions.

From engineering and operations to corporate functions, AI tools are increasingly embedded into everyday workflows, helping teams work more efficiently and focus on higher-value tasks.

For instance, AI-enabled video analytics at our gas plants, wind farms and solar sites help identify potential safety risks, strengthen training and reinforce safe work practices.

In our operations, with teams spending millions of man-hours in the field each year, these tools support safer and more consistent ways of working.

We are also deploying Hyperspace, an AI-powered platform co-created by our digital and engineering teams to support predictive maintenance.

The platform analyses equipment performance and identifies potential issues before they escalate, helping engineers respond more quickly and improve asset reliability.

While still in its early stages, Hyperspace is already helping the team trouble-shoot more effectively. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how AI can strengthen operational performance when combined with human expertise.

Sembcorp’s role in AI economy

Sembcorp supports customers in data centres, semiconductor manufacturing and digital infrastructure.

Today, we supply close to one-third of the electricity demand from Singapore’s data centre and semiconductor sectors. Through long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), we serve major customers including Equinix, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres and Singtel.

These partnerships reflect the growing importance of reliable energy for AI-enabled industries.

In addition to gas-fired power, we provide renewable energy solutions to support customers’ decarbonisation goals while meeting their operational energy needs.

Most recently, we expanded our partnership with Micron through an additional 150 megawatt (MW) PPA, bringing total contracted supply capacity to 600 MW, reinforcing our role in powering one of Singapore’s leading semiconductor manufacturing operations.

Beyond Singapore, we are developing infrastructure to support AI-ready growth in key markets. 

This includes Wilton International Data Centre in the UK, Vietnam’s first AI-ready data-centre campus at Saigon Hi-Tech Park, and Tembesi Innovation District in Batam, Indonesia, all of which support advanced digital and data-centre development through large-scale power infrastructure.

In Australia, Alinta Energy’s generation, retail and development capabilities also position the company to serve growing AI-driven power demand.

At the same time, Sembcorp continues to strengthen its energy platform through investments in liquefied natural gas imports, renewables and grid-scale energy storage.

Together, these capabilities enhance our ability to deliver the secure, dependable power increasingly required by AI-driven industries.

Building the future energy system

AI is often described as the engine of the fourth Industrial Revolution. Every engine needs power.

As adoption of the tech accelerates, the world will need more electricity. It will require stronger grids, greater energy storage and a balanced energy mix capable of delivering stable and sustainable power at scale.

With Sembcorp’s diversified portfolio, our role combines conventional and renewable generation, energy storage and urban infrastructure solutions. We help customers meet rising energy demand while advancing energy security and sustainability.

As energy and AI become increasingly interconnected, Sembcorp is contributing to both sides of the equation: powering the AI economy while leveraging the tech to power smarter and more sustainable outcomes.

The writer is chief operating officer, Sembcorp Industries