[Edaily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] As the government, Samsung, SK, and others announce massive investment plans centered on artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, expectations are rising within the domestic battery industry. Since AI data centers require a stable, round-the-clock supply of massive amounts of electricity, energy storage systems (ESS) are considered critical infrastructure. Analysts predict that the battery industry—which has been seeking new growth drivers amid a slowdown in the electric vehicle (EV) market—is also expected to benefit from the expansion of the ESS market.

According to industry sources on the 30th, the government presented AI data centers as a key national growth pillar alongside semiconductors and physical AI during the “Public Briefing on the Three Major Mega Projects for Korea’s Great Leap Forward,” held at the Blue House the previous day. The government plans to invest 550 trillion won by 2029 to proactively build 8.4 gigawatts (GW) of AI data centers, and to add an additional 10 GW by 2035, bringing the total to 18.4 GW and attracting over 1,000 trillion won in investment.

Samsung and SK are launching large-scale investments in line with this plan. Samsung has decided to expand its investments in batteries for energy storage systems (ESS) and next-generation all-solid-state batteries, focusing on Ulsan. Chairman Lee Jae-yong stated at the public briefing, “We will focus our investments in batteries for ESS on Ulsan.” SK plans to invest approximately 7 trillion won in the Ulsan Mipo National Industrial Complex to build a 1,000-MW-class AI data center by 2028, with plans to expand it in phases to about 10 times that size thereafter.

The expansion of AI data centers is highly likely to lead to growth in the ESS market. Since AI data centers require high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) to operate 24 hours a day, a stable power supply is essential. Consequently, demand is expected to rise for power stabilization devices—including ESS systems that store power and supply it when needed, as well as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and battery backup units (BBU).

Domestic battery manufacturers are also accelerating the expansion of their ESS businesses. SAMSUNG SDI CO.,LTD. is targeting the market with UPS and BBU batteries for AI data centers, as well as integrated ESS solutions, and plans to expand its investments in ESS and all-solid-state batteries, primarily in Ulsan. LG Energy Solution is expanding production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for ESS, primarily in North America. SK On is also fostering ESS as a future growth business, and there are expectations that it will secure opportunities to supply ESS as the SK Group expands the construction of domestic AI data centers.

An industry official stated, “In the AI era, the importance of batteries—which ensure stable power storage and supply—is bound to grow even further,” adding, “The expansion of AI data centers will serve as a new growth engine for the battery industry.”