China Launches First Integrated Power-Carbon-Computing Trading Model for On-demand Green Computing

China’s green computing sector has entered a new operational phase featuring on-demand access and pay-as-you-go billing. Xinhua News Agency confirms that the country’s first batch of coordinated power-carbon-computing matching transactions has been launched by China Southern Power Grid between May 19 and 30. Participating parties include universities and computing enterprises from Guizhou, Shenzhen and Shandong, which have completed instant matching and trading of idle computing resources, marking a landmark integration of the national East Data, West Computing strategy and green energy transition.

The inaugural trading session adopts an innovative task-driven computing service mechanism. Computing buyers include Guizhou University, Shandong JINX Modern Information Industry and Shenzhen Fagogo Technology, while available idle computing resources are supplied by China Unicom Guizhou branch. Users can release task requirements, time limits and budget via the dedicated service zone on the official NANWANG Online mobile application.

The intelligent backend system leverages a specialised power-carbon-computing collaborative operation platform to convert idle computing capacity into flexible adjustable loads. It dynamically arranges computing tasks following real-time electricity price fluctuations, achieving precise and intelligent matching between supply and demand. This model fundamentally upgrades traditional fixed long-term rental modes, enabling flexible computing resource scheduling and accurate task-based charging.

The new trading mechanism effectively resolves operational challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises and research institutions. Traditional computing infrastructure construction involves high procurement costs and heavy maintenance burdens for temporary tasks. The novel matching model allows users to complete more computing work with cleaner and lower-power energy consumption. It streamlines resource allocation by enabling resource holders to share surplus computing capacity and demand-side users to select tailored services based on task volume, duration and budget.

The operational breakthrough is underpinned by an independently developed collaborative platform from China Southern Power Grid. The system hosts heterogeneous computing resources from multiple data centres across five southern Chinese provinces and regions. Equipped with advanced power-computing mapping models, it accurately predicts task duration and power consumption, and introduces electricity market price signals to guide optimal resource distribution.

The platform bridges data barriers between power supply and computing operation systems. It visualises invisible computing operations through quantifiable electricity consumption and carbon emission data. Real-time electricity prices and renewable energy availability serve as core guidance indicators to direct computing resources toward cost-effective and low-carbon operational regions, optimising the overall supply structure of the computing industry.

The multi-dimensional optimisation covering power utilisation, computing performance, renewable energy proportion and carbon emissions delivers greener and more inclusive computing services. Moving forward, China Southern Power Grid will further upgrade platform functions, expand access scales of high-quality computing resources and enrich diversified service packages.

Standardised market pricing and trading mechanisms will be continuously improved to popularise accessible, low-cost and eco-friendly computing services. The refined service system will support the digital and green transformation of various industries, consolidating solid foundations for the development of digital economy and clean energy infrastructure.