In the heart of Inner Mongolia, the Cilechuan Grassland is witnessing a transformation that could redefine the future of artificial intelligence. On August 22, 2026, the fourth annual Green Computing Power (Artificial Intelligence) Conference convened here, drawing attention to a region that is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of China's computing power strategy. With the theme 'Building Synergy between Computing and Electricity, Exploring New Horizons in Token Economy, and Creating the Future of Artificial Intelligence Together,' the event showcased the latest advancements, including the Green Computing Power Development Research Report (2026) and pilot projects in 'millisecond-level urban computing.' Notably, industry giants like ByteDance and Cambricon signed agreements worth tens of billions of yuan, focusing on green intelligent computing centers and token factories.
Why has the national computing power industry turned its attention to this vast grassland? The answer lies in the seamless integration of renewable energy and high-performance computing. Wind turbines spin steadily across the plains, each rotation generating 12 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity. This green energy does not enter the public grid; instead, it travels through a dedicated 41-kilometer line to power data centers located tens of kilometers away. Inside these facilities, rows of GPU arrays operate around the clock, fueled predominantly by wind and solar energy. Training large-scale AI models with tens of thousands of GPUs can consume over 100 million kilowatt-hours annually. For instance, the Hohhot Intelligent Computing Center operated by China Mobile incurred electricity costs of approximately 290 million yuan in 2025, accounting for more than 70% of its total operating expenses. In the competitive realm of computing power, electricity costs have become a decisive factor.
China's strategic response to this challenge is the 'East Data West Computing' project, which redirects high computing demand from eastern regions to resource-rich western areas. The Horinger data center cluster in Hohhot is among the country's top ten clusters, benefiting from a combination of nearly optimal conditions. With an average annual temperature of only 7°C and over 200 days per year suitable for direct outdoor air cooling, the center achieves more than 20% savings in cooling costs. At an electricity price of about 0.36 yuan per kilowatt-hour, a large-scale GPU cluster can save around 50 million yuan annually on power expenses. Currently, Hohhot's total computing capacity reaches 150,000 P, with green electricity usage exceeding 80%.
However, the 'green' aspect presents its own challenges. Wind and solar power fluctuate with weather conditions, while computing loads require an uninterrupted 24/7 power supply. To address this, the local solution is an innovative 'computing-electricity synergy' mechanism. China Huadian Corporation has constructed a 360,000-kilowatt integrated wind-solar-storage power station, comprising 300,000 kilowatts of wind, 60,000 kilowatts of photovoltaic power, and energy storage capable of continuous four-hour regulation. A collaborative control platform collects data on wind output, solar irradiance, storage status, and computing load at millisecond intervals to dynamically allocate power: when green energy is abundant, storage systems charge and delay-tolerant computing tasks are prioritized; when green energy is limited, storage discharges, the public grid supplements power, and flexible tasks are deferred. This approach transforms power generation and consumption from a unidirectional supply model to a bidirectional interactive system.
On the consumption side, initiatives to minimize waste are also underway. The Hohhot data center operated by China Mobile recovers waste heat from nearby power plants to provide cooling for machine rooms. The B02 machine hall has improved its Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) from 1.315 to 1.209, resulting in annual electricity savings of 560,000 kilowatt-hours since commencing operations. Upon full operation of two machine halls, annual savings are projected to reach 10 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 150,000 tons of water.
Today, 62 computing center projects have clustered in Hohhot, including data centers of China's three major telecom operators, 16 financial institutions, and computing nodes from Huawei, ByteDance, Kuaishou, and others. Upstream, 45 manufacturing enterprises produce servers, cabinets, and sensors locally. According to the recently published three-year action plan, by 2028, Hohhot aims to establish 10 token factories capable of producing 20 trillion tokens daily. At that time, customers will procure not only cabinets and bandwidth but also directly accessible intelligent services customized to their requirements.
The prairie winds remain constant, as does the city's commitment to converting every kilowatt-hour of green electricity into stable and reliable computing power. This convergence of renewable energy and cutting-edge technology positions Hohhot as a pivotal player in the global AI landscape, demonstrating how sustainable practices can drive innovation and economic growth.
