Data Center Cooling Innovations Target Grid Limits and Tropical Heat

Industry experts say that rising AI workloads are straining power grids, with data centres now needing gigawatt‑scale connections. Johnson Controls’ Mihir Nandkeolyar notes that requests for 100 MW or 300 MW connections can face three‑to‑five‑year waits in places like Virginia, prompting operators to seek on‑site power and waste‑heat recycling. He explains that absorption chillers can use heat from generators to drive cooling, reducing electricity, fuel and water use.

In Malaysia, Midea Building Technologies launched a full‑stack thermal‑management system designed for high‑density, tropical environments. The offering combines magnetic‑bearing chillers, coolant distribution units and liquid‑cooling terminals, achieving a PUE below 1.2 and a COP of 5.4 at 35 °C. Midea also unveiled a new smart manufacturing base in Shunde to mass‑produce these components, and highlighted collaboration with the National University of Singapore on a sustainable data‑centre testbed.