In response to the rapidly increasing electricity consumption of the AI and information and communications technology (ICT) industries and to ensure that related energy facilities adopt high-efficiency equipment, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), pursuant to the authorization of Article 16 of the Energy Administration Act, has amended three subordinate regulations, namely the Regulations Governing the Assessment of Energy Development and Utilization, the Scope of Applied Energy Users, and the Forms of Energy Utilization Manual and Essential Particulars. Under the amendments, enterprises engaged in Information Service Activities, including hyperscale and colocation data centers, with an contracted electricity capacity no less than 5 MW, are required, at the planning stage of new construction or expansion projects, to prepare and submit Energy Utilization Manuals (EUMs) and adopt Best Available Techniques (BATs), thereby optimizing energy-saving design and improving overall energy efficiency.
As explained by the Energy Administration, under these amendments, hyperscale and colocation data centers with contracted electricity capacity no less than 5 MW must submit EUMs before plant construction and obtain approval from the competent authority. Drawing on the European Union's data center energy efficiency guidelines and based on input collected through expert consultations and stakeholder meetings, seven key items have been specifically added into EUM's check list for data center's energy efficiency, covering: selection of information equipment, configuration of information software services, data management, cooling system, power system, energy monitoring and management, and overall energy performance. At the same time, Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) has been adopted as the efficiency indicator upon taking into account the practices of countries such as Japan, Singapore, and Germany, as well as Taiwan's industry experience, with differentiated standards for different operation types: a PUE not exceeding 1.3 for hyperscale data centers and not exceeding 1.4 for colocation data centers.
The Administration also noted that, prior to the amendments, it held multiple consultation meetings with subject-matter scholars and experts, and communicated with major data center operators, while exchanging opinions on issues most concerned by the industry, including the BATs, whether the efficiency standards are mandatory, and how on-site audits are conducted. The Energy Administration stressed that data centers are a key foundation for Taiwan's digital transformation. These amendments are expected to guide operators to select appropriate sites and incorporate energy-saving design at the planning stage, while helping reduce the burden on the power grid, improve energy efficiency, support industrial decarbonization, and enhance overall competitiveness.
Spokesperson for Energy Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs: Deputy Director General, Chih-Wei Wu
Contact Phone Number: 02-2775-7750, 0922-339-410
Email Address:
[email protected]Business Contact: Director, Fang-Ling Liao
Contact Phone Number: 02-2775-7710, 0912-089-923
Email Address:
[email protected]