International Weekly | GDS Holdings' Overseas Brand "Galaxy Data Center" to Invest $2 Billion in Thailand; OpenAI Claims 15x Compute Growth Since 2024 Tech Giant Updates

1.Meta to Sell $2B Data Center Assets for Joint Development

Meta plans to sell approximately $2 billion worth of under-construction data centers and land assets to third parties for co-development within the next 12 months, potentially leasing them back afterward. This accelerates global data center expansion to support AI deployment. Meta currently operates ~30 campuses and is building multi-gigawatt (GW) 'superclusters,' with projected investments exceeding hundreds of billions of dollars.

Commentary: Asset partnerships fuel AI infrastructure acceleration.

2.OpenAI Reports 15x Compute Growth Since 2024; GPT-5 Runs on 200K GPU

OpenAI at GPT-5’s launch, OpenAI revealed its computing power has grown 15-fold since 2024. It recently built over 60 clusters deploying >200,000 GPUs, serving 700M users. With plans for 4.5GW capacity toward superintelligence, OpenAI collaborates with Oracle on the 'Stargate' data center and advances self-built/joint projects in the US, UAE, and Europe, involving investments of tens of billions USD.

Commentary: Computing surge accelerates AI infrastructure race.

3.Meta Seeks $29B Partnership for Louisiana Hyperion Data Center

Meta is reportedly collaborating with Pimco and Blue Owl to raise ~$29B for the Hyperion hyperscale data center in Louisiana. Pimco will provide $26B in debt financing, while Blue Owl contributes $3B in equity. Hyperion, targeting up to 5GW capacity with phased completion by 2030, will partially use natural gas generation. It’s part of Meta’s global AI data center clusters supporting its 'super intelligence' strategy.

Commentary: Meta’s massive bet on AI compute.

Kres(Suzhou) Power Systems Technology Co., Ltd is an emerging company focused on fluid power solutions, and serve for the markets of Energy, Construction, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Transportation, Medical, Data Centers, etc., and was founded in 2022 with leading-edge engineering capabilities and innovative products to keep up with the changing customer needs. Including OCP standard UQD, UQDB, BMQC, manifold, EPDM hose and hose assemblies, FF9 full flow dual interlock quick disconnect coupling (a better replacement for FD83 series products), API heat transfer products, Gates EPDM hose and Wika products.

4.GDS Holdings’ Overseas Brand 'Galaxy Data Center' to Invest $2B in Thailand

Galaxy Data Center (GDC), the overseas arm of GDS Holdings, will invest $2B to build a data center cluster with supporting PV power plants in Rayong, Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Located in the Silicon Valley Tech Park, the project aims to deploy GW-scale green AI data center tech, fostering knowledge transfer, talent development, and a green digital hub. This expands Chinese capital in Thailand’s data center market.

Commentary: Chinese investment boosts Southeast Asia, targeting green computing.

5.Google Partners with I&M, TVA for AI Data Center Demand Response

Google signed agreements with Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to integrate demand response capabilities into data centers running ML tasks. By adjusting/reducing load during peak hours, this accelerates grid integration and reduces need for new power plants. The first project launches in Fort Wayne, Indiana, informing future grid planning. It combines Google’s demand response expertise with flexible energy management for AI growth.

Commentary: AI compute learns 'peak shaving and valley filling.'

6.Rolls-Royce & Ineratec Partner on e-Diesel for German Data Centers

Rolls-Royce Power Systems and sustainable fuel producer Ineratec formed a strategic partnership to replace conventional diesel with e-diesel (synthesized from green H₂ and CO₂) in backup generators at German data centers. This supports carbon neutrality goals for AI-driven data centers while leveraging Ineratec’s Frankfurt production for rapid deployment.

Commentary: e-Diesel enables greener backup power.

7.Stack Tests Sublime Low-Carbon Cement; Amazon Partners with Brimstone

Stack Infrastructure trialed electrochemically produced Sublime ultra-low-carbon cement at its Virginia campus, exceeding strength expectations and setting a green building benchmark. Separately, Amazon signed an agreement with Brimstone to secure future low-carbon Portland cement and supplementary materials, with large-scale testing planned for 2025-2026 to advance industry decarbonization.

Commentary: Low-carbon materials accelerate data center greening.

8.YPlasma Secures $2.5M for Plasma Cooling Tech

Spanish startup YPlasma raised $2.5M to advance fanless plasma cooling technology. Using dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators to generate ionic winds, it cools servers without moving parts, offering compact size, low power consumption, reduced vibration, and extended hardware lifespan. First commercial applications target consumer electronics (late 2025), with plans for edge computing servers.

Commentary: Novel approach to data center cooling.

9.Air2O Unveils Stackable Data Center Rack Design

US cooling tech firm Air2O launched a modular stackable rack ('High Heat Density Air-Cooled Rack Assembly') supporting 320kW (air-cooled) or 600kW (liquid-cooled) power density. Horizontally placed and vertically stackable, 120 modules fit in 16x25x20m spaces for 40MW IT capacity. The design aims to replace the century-old 19-inch rack standard for high-density gear.

Commentary: Century-old racks may face obsolescence.

10.Vertiv Launches 5-50MW Modular Data Center Solution 'OneCore'

Vertiv released 'OneCore,' a prefabricated data center solution scaling from 5MW to 50MW, supporting 96-944 racks with liquid cooling compatibility. Integrating SmartRun cabling, steel structures, and the Unify management platform, it accepts 11-35kV MVAC or 400V-480V 3-phase input and operates from -20°C to 55°C. OneCore reduces complexity via standardized modules and single-point interfaces while enabling flexible expansion and future tech adaptation for global markets.

Commentary: Modularization speeds data center deployment.

11.BDC to Use Treated Wastewater for Cooling in Malaysia's Johor

Asia-Pacific firm Bridge DC (BDC) will pioneer using treated sewage for cooling at its Johor, Malaysia data center, reducing potable water reliance and aligning with ESG/sustainability goals. BDC signed an MoU with Johor's water authority and partners with institutions to advance the project. Following Amazon and Microsoft, it utilizes non-potable recycled water for cooling loops, easing industry water stress.

Commentary: Wastewater reuse alleviates water pressure.

12.Hyderabad State Data Center Outage Disrupts Govt Services

A technical failure at Telangana State Data Center on July 31 disrupted online services (e.g., Hyderabad Water Board). The center provides unified cloud/app hosting for multiple departments; the undisclosed cause persists, with websites remaining inaccessible. Manual operations resumed as technicians race to restore services. Hyderabad hosts ~33 data centers across operators.

Commentary: Centralized government services reveal concentration risks.

13.Brookfield Forecasts $7T+ Investment for 75GW New AI Data Centers by 2034

Brookfield Asset Management projects global AI data center capacity will hit 82GW by 2034 (10x 2024 levels), with >$7T invested in AI infrastructure over the next decade: $4T on chips, $2T on data centers, $500B each on energy/transmission and other tech. Global GPU count will surge from 7M (2024) to 45M, with inference computing reaching 75% share. GPU-as-a-service market will exceed $250B.

Commentary: AI infrastructure boom.