On August 19, 2022, GDS and SK ecoplant, an affiliate of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, signed a collaboration agreement in Seoul to jointly advance environmentally friendly full cell power supply solutions for the data centers in Southeast Asia. Mr. William Huang, Chairman and CEO of GDS and Mr. Kyung-il Park, CEO of SK ecoplant, attended the ceremony and signed the agreement on behalf of their respective companies.

 (From right to left) William Huang, the Founder, Chairman and CEO of GDS; Kyung-il Park, CEO of SK ecoplant

According to the agreement, GDS will leverage its rich experience in high-performance data center construction, operation, and professional services, while incorporating the advantages of SK ecoplant in fuel cell production and engineering construction. Together, they aim to create innovative and eco-friendly data center power solutions and promote the application of distributed fuel cells to provide efficient and stable electricity within data centers.

Mr. William Huang, Chairman and CEO of GDS, said, "We are delighted to reach a collaboration with SK ecoplant, a leading fuel cell manufacturer in South Korea. This partnership marks an important step in GDS's expansion in the region. Through this collaboration, we will not only enhance the green and low-carbon attributes of our data centers, but also enable GDS to expand global businesses and establish a foothold in the Southeast Asia."

GDS's infrastructure platform is forming a full-fledged network in Southeast Asia, with construction of GDS's two large-scale data center campuses in Malaysia and Indonesia now commencing, as well as the collaboration with YTL Power to build green data centers in Malaysia. Meanwhile, GDS has set ESG goals of achieving carbon neutrality and 100% renewable energy usage by 2030. The collaboration with SK ecoplant will strongly contribute to the achievement of these goals and lead the global data center industry towards green and sustainable development.

GDS NTP1/2/3

Mr. Kyung-il Park, CEO of SK ecoplant, said, "We look forward to the strategic collaboration with GDS, a leading data center operator in China. This partnership will serve as a cornerstone for expanding our fuel cell business to the overseas markets, further positioning SK ecoplant as a dominant force in the global fuel cell market."

SK ecoplant is an affiliate of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, specializing in environmental and renewable energy-related businesses. Through this collaboration, SK ecoplant plans to establish the application of fuel cell solutions in the data center industry as a new significant business area. They aim to develop corresponding business models to greatly expand the utilization of fuel cells in data centers, cold storage warehouses, existing power generation markets, and more. This will enable them to establish a strong foothold in the global market, including Southeast Asia, and become a leader in the fuel cell industry in South Korea.