Given the rapid iteration of the digital economy and the explosive growth of technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) and cloud computing, data centers, as the core carriers of digital infrastructure, are continuously expanding in scale, making their energy consumption increasingly prominent. Against this backdrop, countries worldwide have introduced targeted green policies, adopting multiple measures to drive the transformation of data centers toward low-carbon, energy-efficient, and highly efficient operations, thereby facilitating the realization of carbon neutrality goals.
However, due to significant differences in national conditions, energy structures, and the development stages of the digital industry, the focus of green policies varies from country to country. Based on this, MIR focuses on key countries and regions including China, the United States, Europe, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, deeply dissecting key policy points to bring exclusive insights into global data center green policies.
China: Driving the Green Transformation of Data Centers with "Targets + Incentives" as the Core Logic
China adopts "Targets + Incentives" as its core logic, anchoring the goal of low-carbon and highly efficient transformation. Through targeted incentive measures, it promotes the industry to improve energy efficiency and optimize the power supply structure. The core policy points are summarized in the table below:
Core Targets:
Source: Compiled and collected by MIR
By the end of 2025, the core targets for 2025 in the "Special Action Plan for Green and Low-Carbon Development of Data Centers" have been fully achieved. The overall rack utilization rate of data centers nationwide exceeds 60%, the average PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) has dropped to 1.42,the proportion of green electricity consumed by new projects at national hub nodes exceeds 80%, and the annual average growth rate of renewable energy utilization meets the standard. The energy efficiency and carbon efficiency per unit of computing power have increased by about 20% compared to the beginning of the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, demonstrating remarkable achievements in green and low-carbon development.
Regarding the core targets for 2030, the government has not yet announced quantitative indicators. Combined with international benchmarking and industry references: currently, the PUE of newly built large and above data centers at the internationally advanced level is ≤1.15, and the PUE after renovated existing data centers is ≤1.35. The renewable energy utilization rate of data centers nationwide is ≥50% (≥80% for national hub nodes). By the end of 2025, the industry average waste heat utilization rate of data centers in China is about 8%, and benchmark projects in the north are about 15% (referencing public cases from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and industry data).
Subsidy Policies:
Source: Compiled and collected by MIR
United States: Market-Driven + Certification to Strengthen Local Emission Reduction Constraints
The United States adopts a core model of market-based means, industry standards, and local policy constraints, specifically advancing through the following measures:
Energy Emission Reduction Measures: Carbon intensity is mainly reduced through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), and on-site solar and wind power generation. At the same time, relying on microgrids and energy storage systems, it ensures the supply of backup power during peak electricity price periods and stabilizes energy utilization efficiency.
Core Standard System: LEED certification is the core benchmark. This system, established by the U.S. Green Building Council, covers five dimensions: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. It is divided into four levels based on comprehensive scores: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Certified. Although it is a voluntary standard, it is widely applied. Since 2012, dedicated energy-saving indicators and rating methods for data centers have been added, requiring separate evaluation of the total energy consumption of buildings and IT equipment. Enterprises such as Meta Platforms, Inc, Apple Inc, and Internap Corporation have relevant certified data centers.
Local Rigid Constraints: Taking Oregon as the core demonstration, the "New Clean Energy Standards for Data Centers" clearly defines rigid emission reduction targets, requiring a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions related to data center electricity use by 2027, and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Europe: Overall Planning + Layered Implementation to Build a Unified Green Framework
European data centers adopt the model of "EU overall planning + member state detailed implementation," aligning with the EU's overall energy-saving and carbon-reduction strategy to promote the implementation of various measures in layers. At the EU level, the focus is on building a unified policy framework and promoting transparent management. By revising regulations such as the Energy Efficiency Directive, it mandates data centers to monitor and publicly report key indicators such as energy consumption, water consumption, and the proportion of renewable energy used. Simultaneously, a standardized sustainability rating system and public database are being built to provide unified guidance for all member states. Each member state then refines and implements the EU directives based on its own actual conditions.
Source: Compiled and collected by MIR
Thailand: Focus on Incentive Guidance to Broaden Green Electricity Procurement Channels
Thailand takes "policy incentives" as its core, without setting strict rigid thresholds. It broadens supply channels through flexible and diversified green electricity procurement policies, guiding the data center industry to independently use clean energy. Its core policies are as follows:
Source: Compiled and collected by MIR
Malaysia: Tiered Management Balancing Compliance and Incentives
The core of Malaysia is "tiered guidance + supporting incentives." It formulates differentiated PUE targets based on the actual conditions of data centers of different scales, establishes a green certification system, and pairs it with tax and subsidy incentives. Currently in the baseline assessment stage, the policies are both flexible and guiding.
Tiered PUE Targets: Design target PUEs are set in tiers according to hyperscale, large, and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) types.
Source: Compiled and collected by MIR
Green Certification System: A relevant certification system is established, clearly stipulating that newly built large data centers must mandatorily pass green certification. It encourages waste heat recovery and water resource recycling, guiding toward a higher standard of PUE < 1.2.
Supporting Incentive Measures: Paired with incentives such as tax preferences and operational subsidies to help compliant and standard-meeting projects land and promote green transformation. The core contents are as follows.
Tax Preferences: Projects meeting the Malaysian green data center standards enjoy up to 100% investment tax allowance and a 10-year corporate income tax exemption; green dedicated equipment is fully exempt from import/sales tax.
Operational Subsidies: Starting from August 2025, enterprises purchasing electricity through officially recognized green electricity procurement methods can be exempted from the 1.6% renewable energy fund surcharge, directly reducing electricity costs by 5%–10%. Supporting energy storage and high-efficiency cooling equipment can enjoy operation-related subsidies, and high-efficiency cooling equipment can be fully deducted from taxable income.
Supporting Measures: TNB (Tenaga Nasional Berhad) has opened a green channel for power access since 2023, shortening the grid connection time for data centers from 36-48 months to 12 months.
Indonesia: Macro Planning to Consolidate the Foundation for Green Electricity Development
Indonesia takes "macro planning + project promotion" as its core. It has not yet set rigid indicators such as specific PUE and green electricity penetration rates, focusing instead on top-level layout and industry cultivation.
Macro Planning: Clarifies the new power installation target for 2034, planning to add 69.5GW of power capacity, of which 76% comes from renewable energy and energy storage systems, promoting the increase of the renewable energy proportion to 34.3%, and building a solid top-level foundation for green transformation.
Project Guarantee: Formulates exclusive rules for renewable energy Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), optimizes risk allocation, clarifies the electricity price adjustment mechanism, and standardizes energy storage management. The core is to enhance project bankability and promote the landing of green projects.
Source: Compiled and collected by MIR
Saudi Arabia: Strategic Guidance + Project Implementation to Strengthen Green Electricity Supply
Saudi Arabia takes "Vision 2030" and the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) as its core, building a green power foundation for data centers through top-level goals, large-scale investments, and market-oriented PPAs projects. *"Vision 2030" is not a single policy document, but a national-level strategic framework and comprehensive reform plan officially announced by Saudi Arabia in 2016. Positioned as the general program for future economic and social development, it covers multiple fields such as economy, society, and energy. One of its core goals is to promote economic diversification and reduce dependence on oil. Renewable energy development is a key part of its energy transition sector, providing top-level guidance and strategic support for the green power supply of data centers.
Top-Level Goals: By 2030, the proportion of renewable energy power generation will reach 50%, with 58.7GW of new energy capacity installed (mainly solar photovoltaics). By 2060, carbon neutrality will be achieved, with annual carbon emission reduction exceeding 270 million tons.
Investment Planning: Government and enterprise collaboration implements over 80 energy transition measures, with a total investment exceeding 705 billion riyals (approximately 188 billion USD). (these initiatives that has been continuously promoted and implemented since the launch of "Vision 2030" in 2016, covering the 2016 to 2030 transition cycle, and is still being advanced at present.)
Project Implementation: Through the NREP, PPAs for wind and solar projects with a total capacity of 15GW have been signed (5 solar PV + 2 wind power). 12.7GW will be connected to the grid by the end of 2025, and the grid-connected scale will exceed 20GW by the end of 2026.
Summary: Core Trends in Global Data Center Green Policies
Dual Focus on Energy Efficiency and Green Electricity: All countries take PUE reduction and the improvement of renewable energy utilization rate as core goals. China and Malaysia have clearly quantified energy efficiency indicators, while Saudi Arabia and Indonesia focus on strengthening the layout of green electricity supply, together forming the core drivers of low-carbon transformation.
Two Types of Policy Models Adapted to National Conditions: One type is rigid constraints + standard management, where China, the EU, and local US governments set hard energy efficiency and emission reduction thresholds. The other type is flexible incentive guidance, where Thailand and Indonesia focus on broadening green electricity channels without setting strict requirements, aligning with their own industrial development stages.
Widespread Application of Market-Based Tools: PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) and RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) have become mainstream means in various countries. The United States, Thailand, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia all use these tools combined with green electricity procurement mechanisms to help their domestic data centers flexibly acquire green energy.
Medium- and Long-Term Binding to Carbon Neutrality with Long-Term Layout: All countries anchor in the medium- and long-term nodes of 2030 and beyond. Saudi Arabia increases energy investment, China introduces special plans, and the EU clarifies energy consumption reduction targets, promoting the green transformation of their domestic data centers toward long-term and strategic development.
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