Datacentre operators form APAC industry group

Eight global datacentre operators have banded together to form the Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association (APDCA) in an effort to advocate for policies and regulations that support the sustainable growth of the datacentre industry.

Specifically, APDCA will work with governments to co-develop policies that drive the security and resiliency of datacentres, minimise environmental impact, and deliver positive economic benefits to the local communities in which they operate.

The founding members of APDCA include AirTrunk, Digital Realty, Equinix, Global Switch, NTT Global Data Centers, Princeton Digital Group, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres and Vantage Data Centers. Together, they represent 40% of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) datacentre market, excluding mainland China, according to Synergy Research Group.

In 2023, the APAC datacentre colocation market provided 10,233 MW of IT capacity, accounting for about 40% of the global market. This is expected to grow to 19,069 MW by 2028, at a five-year compound annual growth rate of 13.3%, based on estimates by Structure Research.

Jeremy Deutsch, interim chairperson of the APDCA, said as economies in the region accelerate demand for digital services through adoption of 5G, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), the internet of things (IoT) and cloud computing, a clear and aligned vision for the role of digital infrastructure and datacentres has never been more important.

“APDCA will represent this essential industry in the region, with a commitment to support the interests of our members, our industry and the people, businesses, and communities we serve,” he added.

APDCA is a sister organisation to the European Data Centre Association, a key voice in the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact that includes over 100 datacentre operators and trade associations committed to leveraging technology and achieving ambitious reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to make Europe climate neutral by 2030.

Lex Coors, chair, and Michael Winterson, managing director of the European Data Centre Association, said: “Though our associations operate in different regulatory and political environments, many of our issues are global in nature: building the datacentre of the future; meeting aspirational sustainability goals; and representing the importance of a robust digital infrastructure programme to citizens and governments across the world.

APDCA will be governed by a board named by the founding members. The board will convene shortly to elect a chairperson and set the agenda for the association.