Beijing pushes AI data centres to adopt green energy under action plan

Beijing is moving to make green electricity usage a key metric in the operation of new data centre projects, as part of a major push to align the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence with national carbon goals, according to an action plan released Friday.

The policy document, jointly released by four bodies – the National Energy Administration, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and National Data Administration – encouraged operators to continuously raise the share of green electricity in computing facilities through so-called “green certificate” and “green power trading markets”, while also promoting cleaner backup power systems to replace diesel generators.

The document, which proposes a total of 29 measures to improve the integration of green power and AI, also aims to promote the adoption of home-grown AI software and hardware in the energy sector, including the optimisation of domestic AI chips for applications in the sector.

The goal was to “build a new development pattern of mutual empowerment and deep integration between AI and energy” by 2030, the regulators said.

It is part of a broader push by Beijing to coordinate the expansion of computing capacity with renewable energy development while maintaining its carbon reduction targets, as rising power demand from AI adds pressure to China’s electricity grid.