The AI revolution has sparked a global boom in data center construction. Nearly 100 gigawatts (GW) of new data centers will be added globally[1] between 2026 and 2030, doubling current capacity in response to the massive computing power needs of AI workloads, coupled with surging adoption of AI technologies. By 2030, global investment in data centers is expected to reach as much as $7 trillion[2]. Data centers rely on a plentiful and secure supply of electricity. According to Bloomberg research, the facilities could consume 1,600 terawatt-hours of power annually by 2035, about 4.4% of global electricity demand.[3] If they were a country, they would rank fourth in electricity consumption, just behind China, the US and India. As a result, a secondary wave of expansion is underway in the energy sector, to alleviate grid constraints and ensure a power supply that’s both reliable and sustainable.South Korea-based multinational OCI Holdings is positioned to play a pivotal role in powering the AI revolution. As a leader in the green energy sector, the company is driving the new frontier forward with solar power, one of the few energy sources that can scale rapidly while providing the critical advantage of being renewable. Along with new wind capacity, solar farms are already undercutting new coal and gas plants on production cost in almost every market globally.[4] From its roots in South Korea, OCI Holdings has soared in size and ambition, developing and implementing infrastructure across Asia and the US. “OCI is constantly evolving to meet new demands,” says Charles Kim, President and CEO of OCI Enterprises—a US subsidiary of OCI Holdings. “With energy demands at record highs, we’re committed to enhancing grid stability and ensuring long-term reliability through innovative solar and storage projects.” Capturing the Sun in the Lone Star State The US is home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers.[3] Texas sits at the forefront of this expansion, with new data centers and energy supply infrastructure springing up across the state.[5] OCI has a significant presence in Texas, which has “long been at the heart of America’s energy sector—first as a leader in oil and gas, and now as a hub for solar, storage and emerging technologies,” says Charles Kim. He adds that the state’s favorable regulatory environment and abundant sunshine make it an ideal location for solar generation. In 2012, OCI Holdings became the first South Korean company to enter the US solar market, developing multiple solar farms in Texas through its Alamo Project, which at the time was the largest solar initiative of its kind in North America. In 2014, the company strengthened its foothold by establishing Mission Solar Energy, a production plant supplying solar modules for large-scale solar projects, including the Alamo project. Growth in data center power demand reflects not only the number of facilities being built, but also their increasing scale,[6] with ever-larger centers under construction for technology companies such as Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon. Individual projects in Texas are now requesting as much as 1GW of power[7]—enough to supply roughly 250,000 homes in the state. “As AI spreads across industries, rising power demand is a given,” says Woohyun Lee, Chairman of OCI Holdings. “The real question is whether energy systems can keep up, delivering reliable power at scale without losing sight of sustainability. How that balance is struck will shape who stays competitive.”As Texas competes to become the data center hub of the country, and potentially the world, pressure on the state’s power grid is expected to intensify. By 2030, infrastructure capable of generating the equivalent of 30 nuclear plants’ worth of electricity[8] will be needed. OCI Holdings is building on its deep foundation to help meet this demand with solar power and energy storage solutions. The company’s American subsidiary, OCI Energy, has a total project pipeline of 7 GW under development across Texas and North America. Crossing Continents to Deliver Clean Energy Although OCI Holdings is now firmly established as a leader in renewable energy, it was established as a chemicals company in 1959 by Hoi Rim Lee, a pioneer of Korea’s fledgling chemicals industry and grandfather of current Chairman, Woohyun Lee. While remaining a major player in the chemical sector, the company expanded into the solar energy market in 2008 with the commercial production of solar-grade polysilicon—the first link in the photovoltaic (PV) supply chain. OCI Holdings has expanded its manufacturing footprint in Asia through strategic site selection. In 2017, the company acquired its Sarawak, Malaysia facility and relocated its polysilicon production to secure access to clean energy at a competitive price. OCI TerraSus began with 10,000 tons of annual capacity and has since scaled to 35,000 tons, positioning itself as one of the leading global producers of solar-grade polysilicon. The company also operates a fully traceable value chain that is compliant with US Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) requirements from raw materials through ownership structure. Woohyun Lee says he is particularly proud of the Malaysian plant’s end-to-end green production process, which uses hydropower as the primary energy source. “We use clean energy to produce products that will be used for clean energy,” he explains, noting that many of the company’s competitors still power polysilicon production with coal. “This gives us a significant advantage with US and European developers,” he says. By powering polysilicon production with hydropower rather than coal, the Malaysian plant delivers a lower-carbon product from the outset. That translates into a smaller embedded carbon footprint, stronger sustainability credentials and greater readiness for tightening climate regulations, giving the company a clear edge over other developers who are under pressure to decarbonize their supply chains. OCI has further bolstered its Southeast Asian network by acquiring a facility in Vietnam marking its expansion into wafer processing. The site slices polysilicon blocks into wafers, which are later processed into solar cells. Built with 2.7 GW of capacity, the facility is expected to expand to 5.4 GW. Powering the AI Value Chain Alongside its role in supplying clean electricity for AI infrastructure, OCI Holdings is extending its capabilities across the semiconductor value chain, producing critical materials used in the manufacture of advanced chips that power AI systems.
 The chips rely on semiconductor-grade polysilicon, which requires far higher purity levels than solar-grade material. While many companies produce solar-grade polysilicon, the technical expertise and capital investment needed for ultra-high purity levels create significant barriers to entry and only a few global companies currently operate in this highly specialized market. In 2025, OCI Holdings launched a joint venture with Japan’s Tokuyama Corporation to manufacture semiconductor-grade polysilicon at its Malaysian facilities, with commercial production scheduled to begin in 2029. As AI demand accelerates, Woohyun Lee says that advanced materials and clean energy are becoming increasingly interconnected. OCI Holdings is investing heavily in research and development to support next-generation solar solutions, advancing high-efficiency cell technologies, exploring long-duration storage innovations and leveraging AI-driven power forecasting to integrate more renewable energy into the grid. These efforts are critical to ensuring that the solar and storage systems powering tomorrow’s data centers are more reliable, efficient and sustainable than ever before. Through its expanding portfolio, OCI Holdings is playing an increasingly important role in powering the digital age. As AI reshapes how the world works and consumes energy, OCI Holdings is positioning itself at the intersection of digital growth and decarbonization, helping ensure the technologies powering the future are built on a more sustainable foundation. Source: https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/article/oci-holdings/powering-the-digital-age