Shanghai Sets 1.2 Energy Efficiency Cap for New Computing Facilities

Shanghai is effectively turning efficiency into a siting requirement: a 1.2 PUE ceiling narrows where power-hungry compute can be built and pushes operators toward liquid cooling, green power and AI-driven controls. The explicit nod to subsea data centers paired with offshore wind signals that coastal renewables are being treated as part of the compute stack, not a separate energy story. The open question is whether existing facilities can retrofit to comparable standards, since the plan mandates upgrades rather than grandfathering them in.