Johor is undergoing an energy revolution driven by digital computing power. With data centers sprouting up like mushrooms after rain, the huge demand for electricity and the guarantee of people's livelihood have formed a game. In the face of this power defense war, the local government has broken through with green energy, strictly controlling approvals and coordinating photovoltaics to find a balance between industrial expansion and lighting for thousands of households.

The data center industry in Johor, Malaysia continues to expand, with increasing demand for electricity. The state government plans to add 5 gigawatts of solar installed capacity by 2030-2031. 65 data center projects have been approved locally, with 21 put into operation and consuming nearly 1.1 gigawatts of electricity; The ongoing and planned projects will also add 4-5 gigawatts of electricity demand.

Strictly control project approval

To prevent computing power projects from encroaching on people's electricity consumption, Johor has established a Data Center Development Coordination Committee to coordinate and supervise. Datuk Muhammad Jaffni Mudd Shukol serves as the chairman, and Li Tinghan serves as the vice chairman. The proposed data center must first obtain approval from the committee before applying for planning permission, and at the same time, review the efficiency of power usage to promote energy-saving compliance.

Coordinate power supply

Li Tinghan stated that this mechanism balances the stability of industrial and residential electricity consumption. Local plans to add 5 gigawatts of solar energy capacity to serve data centers and large-scale industries. The state government collaborates with the federal government to increase power supply through various channels such as photovoltaics, off grid power generation, and electricity bidding, ensuring the orderly development of the industry. Keywords: Southeast Asia, data center, computing power industry

Promote the landing of photovoltaics

The Malaysian Energy Commission is bidding for an additional 8 gigawatts of power supply for the Malay Peninsula, with some of the electricity supplied to Johor. Kota Tingyi and Fengsheng Port plan to lay out a 4-GW photovoltaic project, with plans to start construction in batches by mid-2029; Xijiamo plans a 1 GW photovoltaic project.Editor/Gong Ziwei