LG Electronics to Supply Chillers for 5+ GW AI Data Centers in North America
LG Electronics' North American branch signed a major long-term supply agreement with HVAC service provider AIR Control Concepts to supply advanced chiller systems for over 5GW of AI data center infrastructure. AIR Control Concepts handles major infrastructure projects for leading global data center operators across North America. As generative AI drives an unprecedented surge in compute power, cooling high-density server racks has become one of the most critical energy bottlenecks for data center operators. LG's massive deal underscores the massive scale of hardware investments being deployed to support next-generation AI workloads. The chillers combine an air-cooled centrifugal structure with refrigerant free-cooling technology, using cold ambient outdoor air to lower compressor work. Internal simulations by LG indicate that this refrigerant free-cooling tech can cut annual energy consumption by about 30% compared to traditional water-cooling methods.
## BACKGROUND
AI data centers require significantly higher power densities than traditional IT facilities, producing extreme amounts of heat that necessitate specialized cooling systems. Free-cooling technology relies on naturally cold ambient temperatures to cool refrigerants directly, reducing the need to run energy-intensive mechanical compressors during cooler months.