South Korean LNG importing giant Kogas and compatriot telecommunications firm KT have revealed plans to build a data center that would use cold energy from an LNG plant.
In that regard, the two firms have signed a memorandum of understanding on November 22, according to a Kogas statement.
Under the memorandum, Kogas and KT agreed to cooperate in various fields such as LNG cold-heat utilization data center feasibility review, technology safety, and domestic and foreign business development, the statement said.
An internet data center requires a huge cooling system and it uses about 30 percent of consumed electricity for cooling.
Using LNG cold energy generated from the regasification process would substantially save energy, costs, and reduce emissions, Kogas said.
As part of the cooperation, the partners plan to develop the world’s first cooling system using LNG cold energy, it said.
The LNG-based cooling system would help a data center such as KT’s Yongsan center to save 12 megawatt-hours of electricity every month, which is enough to power 30,000 households, Kogas said.
Kogas currently operates four large-scale LNG terminals, namely Incheon, Pyeongtaek, Tongyeong, and Samcheok, as well as a small-scale regasification terminal at the Aewol port on Jeju island. The LNG importer is building a large terminal in Dangjin as well.
