SK Innovation is making a strategic entry into the energy solution business, focusing on the essential infrastructure needed for the AI era—large-scale data centers that demand stable and efficient power supply.
On June 11, SK Innovation announced at the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bridge Data Centres (BDC), a Singapore-based company specializing in data centers, to supply integrated energy solutions to a massive AI data center in Malaysia.
BDC is a global entity that operates mega data centers with a total capacity of 1 GW across the Asia-Pacific region, with key facilities in Malaysia, Thailand, and India. Through this agreement, SK Innovation will provide energy management and cooling solutions to one of the largest data centers being constructed by BDC in Malaysia.
SK Innovation is set to implement a comprehensive array of next-generation energy technologies for the project, including an AI-based Data Center Management System (DCMS), Energy Storage Systems (ESS), fuel cell-based auxiliary power systems, and advanced immersion cooling technology and refrigerant supply.
The DCMS, in particular, is an intelligent system that monitors the power flow in real time and preemptively detects anomalies to activate backup power systems swiftly. Additionally, SK Innovation’s subsidiary, SK Enmove, has developed immersion cooling technology, which is the first of its kind to be commercialized in Korea. This technology submerges servers in a special cooling liquid to efficiently manage high temperatures, making it suitable for data centers packed with high-performance AI equipment.
SK Innovation aims to establish itself as a provider of integrated energy solutions within the global AI data center market through this agreement. Having transformed into a comprehensive energy company covering the entire power supply spectrum—including refining, batteries, LNG, hydrogen, wind, solar power, and small modular reactors (SMR)—since its merger with SK E&S last November, SK Innovation intends to leverage its capabilities to boost its solution business competitiveness.
Kim Moo-hwan, Head of Energy Solution Business at SK Innovation, stated, "Our collaboration with BDC will serve as an opportunity to validate the technological prowess and economic viability of our solutions in the global market. We plan to engage in joint research and development with global data center operators in the future."
Kevin Kuan, BDC's Chief Investment Officer, added, "BDC has spearheaded the growth of mega data centers in Asia over the past decade. Through our collaboration with SK, we will accelerate the development of eco-friendly energy solutions and sustainable data center construction."
