Ulaanqab emerges as AI computing hub

Ulaanqab in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region is emerging as a major artificial intelligence computing hub, drawing large-scale data center investment with low-cost green power, natural cooling, and high-speed links to Beijing.

On Aug 6, China's green technology company Envision Group announced the commissioning of its Envision Galaxy Campus in Ulaanqab. The project plans to exceed 2 gigawatts (GW) in power capacity, deliver up to one million FLOPS of computing power, and build a 120,000-square-meter facility capable of supporting up to one million AI computing cards. It is a flagship project under Envision's global green computing initiative.

Low-cost green electricity is a key advantage for Ulaanqab's AI computing industry. With green power accounting for about 67 percent of its electricity supply, the city can offer prices of around 0.30 yuan ($0.04) per kilowatt-hour, compared with 0.60 to 0.70 yuan in eastern coastal regions. For Envision Group's planned 2 GW computing campus, annual electricity consumption could reach 17.5 billion kilowatt-hours at full capacity. At these rates, Ulaanqab's lower electricity prices could save the project an estimated 5.25 billion to 7 billion yuan a year, highlighting the economic advantage of locating energy-intensive computing facilities close to renewable power sources.