Summary of Key Points
Three major state-owned enterprises (China Southern Power Grid, China Telecom, and State Power Investment Corporation) have jointly established the “Power Industry Computing Power Interconnection Node Promotion Consortium,” which is a crucial step in implementing the national “1+M+N” computing power framework (1 national hub, M regional hubs, and N industry-specific hubs). The goal is to address the challenges in the computing power industry, such as high energy consumption, significant carbon emissions, and the lack of access to renewable energy. By leveraging the complementary strengths of the three parties, the consortium aims to ensure that computing power tasks are aligned with the use of green energy. The plan is to create a national benchmark by 2027, thereby promoting the green upgrade of digital infrastructure.
What is a Power Industry Computing Power Node? The “Power-Specific Hub” within the National Computing Power System?
In simple terms, the government intends to build a nationwide “computing power network” similar to our electric grid or the internet. The newly established consortium is responsible for creating the “power industry node” within this network—the first industry-level hub that integrates power, carbon emissions, computing power, data, and intelligent applications.
This hub will be based on an “eight-layer technical architecture” and four core systems. It will connect various components such as power facilities (substations, wind farms), communication networks (fiber optics), computing power resources (data centers), and data (electricity usage data, computing power data) to enable them to work together efficiently, rather than operating independently.
Why is this initiative necessary? The Challenges Faced by the Computing Power Industry
The demand for computing power (used for activities like video streaming, AI calculations, and cloud computing) is increasing, but there are three major issues:
1. High energy consumption: Data centers are energy-intensive, and the annual energy consumption of the computing power industry is equivalent to that of several medium-sized provinces.
2. High carbon emissions: If coal-fired electricity is used, the more computing power is generated, the greater the carbon footprint.
3. Mismatch between renewable energy and demand: There is an abundance of wind and solar power in the west, but the demand for computing power is higher in the east, leading to waste of green energy in the west and reliance on coal-fired power in the east.
Therefore, it is essential to match computing power with renewable energy, and this consortium is dedicated to achieving this goal.
How do the Three Parties Divide the Work and Complement Each Other’s Strengths?
Each of the three state-owned enterprises brings unique capabilities that together solve these challenges:
- China Southern Power Grid: Acts as the “dispatcher and data manager.” It possesses digital grid technology that allows real-time tracking of power availability and shortages, as well as the management of relevant data to ensure its reliability and usability.
- China Telecom: Serves as the “computing power courier.” It has a nationwide computing power network and fast fiber optic infrastructure, enabling the unified management of computing power resources from different locations and types of data centers, ensuring data transmission at high speeds.
- State Power Investment Corporation: Acts as the “green energy provider.” It operates numerous wind and solar power plants, supplying stable and clean renewable energy for computing purposes.
What Are the Benefits?
The main benefit is the alignment of computing power with green energy, leading to several positive outcomes:
- Cost reduction: Using green energy can be more economical than coal-fired power, potentially lowering the electricity costs for computing power companies.
- Improved utilization of clean energy: Renewable energy in the west will no longer be wasted, and its potential will be fully utilized.
- Data security: The trusted data management system provided by China Southern Power Grid ensures the secure transmission and use of data, preventing leaks.
Future Plans: A National Benchmark by 2027
The consortium plans to complete all its initiatives by June 2027, with a focus on regions like Guangdong (high demand for computing power) and Guizhou (abundant green energy and multiple computing power nodes). Once established, the barriers between power, computing power, and carbon emissions will be eliminated, making it easier for other industries to set up similar hubs. Industry experts describe this as equipping digital infrastructure with a “green engine” that makes the computing power industry more environmentally friendly and enhances the efficiency of clean energy utilization.
In summary, this consortium uses a combination of power, communication, and green energy to address the challenges in the computing power industry, making our digital lives more sustainable and efficient.