SINGAPOUR PERSPECTIVE

Singapore offers a unique perspective: that of a country that imposed a data center moratorium in 2019 for sustainability reasons, and is now cautiously reopening with some of the world's strictest conditions. The DC-CFA2, whose application window closes March 31, 2026, allocates at least 200 MW to operators demonstrating 'best-in-class' efficiency.

Requirements are stringent: facilities must be powered by at least 50% green energy sources (biomethane, low-carbon ammonia, hydrogen, fuel cells with carbon capture, or on-site solar). The city-state positions itself as a trusted AI hub while accelerating its green transition.

Singaporean media coverage is teleological: the moratorium is presented as proof of responsible governance, and the reopening as validation of this measured approach. Media emphasize that Dublin and Amsterdam had to suspend new projects without having taken such precautions.

But the elephant in the room remains size: Singapore cannot compete in raw capacity with continental giants. Its strategy relies on quality, regulation, and trust rather than volume — a bet whose success depends on hyperscalers' willingness to accept stricter constraints for a geographically strategic hub.