Hanwha announced Friday a strategic collaboration with Microsoft to develop next-generation energy management solutions for data centers, addressing the growing power demand driven by artificial intelligence workloads.
As AI systems proliferate globally, the massive computing power they require is placing unprecedented strain on energy infrastructure originally designed for lower, steady loads. In response, Hanwha and Microsoft will deliver integrated digital systems — combining AI and cloud technologies — to boost energy efficiency, streamline operations and support grid modernization.
Youngchoon Park, Head of the Grid and Energy Services Business Unit at Hanwha Qcells, and Ulrich Homann, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, unveiled the concept during the APEC CEO Summit Korea 2025. Their joint vision emphasizes a smarter, more resilient model for managing data-center energy and industrial expansion in the age of AI.
“Many of the repetitive, checklist-style tasks in data center operations can now be handled by intelligent agents that understand objectives,” Park said. “By bringing AI into energy management, we can turn these systems into partners that plan and optimize operations alongside human supervisors.”
The partnership seeks to create a scalable framework for optimizing power usage, improving operational efficiency, and enabling sustainable growth amid rapidly increasing demand for high-density computing.
