California Data Center Intel

Recent California data center news

• Jul 18, 2025

  Is your Data Center ready for the ban on SF6 MV switchgear in the EU?

  The European Union has announced a ban on new SF6-based medium-voltage (MV) switchgear up to 24kV, effective January 1, 2026, as part of the F-gas Regulation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power infrastructure.

  • Data center electricity demand in Europe is projected to rise from 100 TWh in 2022 to 150 TWh by 2026, driven by digitalization and AI, necessitating new power generation and infrastructure.
  • SF6-free MV switchgear, such as Schneider Electric’s AirSeT range, is now available and deployed globally (over 40,000 units), offering lower lifecycle costs (20-30% savings) and eliminating high end-of-life recycling costs (10-20% of initial equipment cost), supporting compliance and sustainability goals.
• Jul 16, 2025

  Climate Change Solutions - July 15, 2025

  The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) recaps recent U.S. climate and energy policy developments, including new legislation, issue briefs, and upcoming events.

  • Reconciliation package (P.L. 119-21) signed into law on July 4, 2025, ending or curtailing tax incentives for energy efficiency, renewables, and electric vehicles.
  • Congressional committees advanced bills on algal bloom mitigation, precision agriculture, coastal data, and wildfire resilience; EESI published briefs on critical minerals, data center water use, and recapped 60 climate-related hearings from May-June 2025.
• Jul 15, 2025

  Ampt string optimizers power data center solar + storage project

  Ampt has announced the deployment of its string optimizers for a 65-MW solar project in California’s CAISO region, supporting AI data center operations and critical facilities.

  • Hybrid solar + storage system: 65-MW PV plant with 25-MW/100-MWh (4-hour) DC-coupled battery storage, leveraging machine learning for grid optimization.
  • Economic and climate impact: Projected to generate tens of millions of dollars for the local economy and support California’s 100% carbon-free energy goal by 2045.
• Jul 14, 2025

  Innovation Crossroads welcomes six entrepreneurs for Cohort 2025

  The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) announced the 2025 Innovation Crossroads cohort, comprising six entrepreneurs focused on energy and emerging technologies.

  • The two-year fellowship program provides startup founders with access to ORNL’s scientific resources, mentorship, and a substantial grant, supported by DOE offices and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The 2025 cohort includes ventures addressing wildfire prevention, advanced materials coatings, scalable carbon fiber production, aluminum-air battery technology, algae-based biocomposites, and efficient data center cooling.
  • Cohort members will also complete the Spark Cleantech Accelerator at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The program aims to accelerate commercialization of innovative energy technologies and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.

  This initiative advances energy innovation by integrating national lab resources with entrepreneurial expertise to foster sustainable technology development and regional economic growth.

• Jul 10, 2025

  Bloom Energy to Announce Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results on July 31, 2025

  Bloom Energy Corporation announced it will release its second quarter 2025 financial results on July 31, 2025 after market close and will host a management conference call on the same day.

  • Main announcement and event details:

    • Release date: July 31, 2025 (after market close)
    • Conference call / Webcast:2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET, Duration: 60 minutes
    • Live Dial-in (U.S.): 1.888.596.4144 (toll-free) | 1.646.968.2525
    • Conference ID:5744085
    • Live webcast:https://investor.bloomenergy.com/
    • Telephonic replay (one week): Dial in 1 800 770 2030 (toll-free) | 1 (609) 800-9909 — Passcode: 5744085
    • Webcast replay (one year): Replay hosted in the Investors section at https://investor.bloomenergy.com/

  • Background and company details:

    • Company: Bloom Energy Corporation, headquartered in Silicon Valley
    • Technology / Customers: Fuel cell systems for onsite electricity generation serving Fortune 500 companies, including data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, large utilities, and other commercial & industrial sectors
    • Operational footprint:1.5 GW of low-carbon power deployed across more than 1,200 installations globally
• Jun 25, 2025

  Data Centers and Water Consumption

  Miguel Yañez-Barnuevo reports that rapid expansion of data centers — especially AI-focused facilities — is increasing freshwater withdrawals and putting nearby communities and water systems at risk.

  • Main announcement: Data center water demand is rising with energy and AI growth: individual large facilities can use up to 5 million gallons per day (≈1.8 billion gallons per year), U.S. data centers numbered 5,426 and consumed 163.7 billion gallons annually (2021); a federal report estimated ~211 billion gallons indirect water consumption from electricity in 2023. The article documents sources of water demand (on-site cooling, power-plant water use, chip manufacturing) and links this rise to higher chip densities and AI workloads.
  • Background and technical details: The piece explains water accounting via WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness) (average ~1.9 liters/kWh; “0” is ideal), notes ~80% of withdrawn water typically evaporates, and describes cooling options (closed-loop, free cooling, air cooling, direct-to-chip and immersion cooling) and supply options (recycled/gray water vs. blue freshwater). It cites regional impacts (Northern Virginia: ~300 data centers; Loudoun County used ~900 million gallons in 2023) and sector-wide forecasts (data centers could use up to 1,050 TWh of electricity by 2030).
• Jun 17, 2025

  Onsite Generation Expected to Fully Power 27% of Data Center Facilities by 2030

  Bloom Energy released a mid-year update to its 2025 Data Center Power Report revealing that data centers are increasingly adopting onsite power as primary energy amid grid delivery delays.

  • Main announcement: Bloom Energy’s mid-year update reports that power availability is now the leading factor in data center site selection (84% ranked it among top three). The report finds utility timelines can be up to 2 years longer than developers expect, and forecasts 38% of facilities to use some onsite generation for primary power by 2030, with 27% expecting to be fully powered onsite by 2030 (up from 1% last year). The median data center size is projected to grow from ~175 MW to ~375 MW over the next 10 years.
  • Background and details: The update is based on a survey of ~100 decision-makers collected from April 2024 to April 2025, sampling hyperscalers, colocation developers, utilities, and GPU service providers. Bloom reports it has deployed 1.5GW of low-carbon onsite power across ~1200 installations, and emphasizes solutions with fast deployment timelines, low emissions, and reliability to meet AI workloads. The release is a press announcement published via Business Wire and includes forward-looking statements referencing SEC filings.
• May 19, 2025

  Novel data streaming software chases light speed from accelerator to supercomputer

• Apr 25, 2025

  Planet TV Studios’ 'New Frontiers' Spotlights Companies Shaping Their Industries - Airing April 26, 2025 on Bloomberg TV - The content in the episode is a Planet TV Studios Original & it is brought to you by & sponsored by Planet TV Studios

  Planet TV Studios presents its documentary series episode “New Frontiers” focusing on companies driving impactful innovation in sustainability, healthcare, and infrastructure.

  • Hollobus Technologies pioneers sustainable data centers with liquid-cooling systems and on-site renewable energy reducing energy and carbon footprint.
  • Mirion Technologies enhances safety in medical imaging and radiation use with advanced monitoring and shielding products.
  • MonDak Portables, LLC offers eco-friendly portable infrastructure with rapid deployment for disaster relief incorporating sustainable waste management.
  • NeOnc Technologies Holdings, Inc. innovates brain cancer treatment with intranasal drug delivery bypassing blood-brain barrier, utilizing NEO100 nasal spray.
  • The episode aired on April 26, 2025, on Bloomberg TV and is available on multiple streaming platforms.

  This episode underscores practical and sustainable technological advances influencing health, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure.

• Apr 25, 2025

  Musk Aims to Expand Polluting Data Center Near Historically Black Neighborhoods

  Elon Musk’s AI company xAI is expanding a data center named Colossus in Memphis, TN, next to historically Black neighborhoods.

  • The data center runs on 35 methane gas-powered turbines emitting nitrogen oxide and other toxic chemicals, reportedly without legal permits.
  • Local environmental justice activists and Tennessee state representatives accuse xAI and Elon Musk of perpetuating environmental racism and violating residents’ right to clean air.
  • The Shelby County Health Department held hearings focusing on the lack of permits and expansion plans.
  • Local officials including Memphis Mayor Paul Young have proposed earmarking $15 million in tax proceeds from xAI’s operations to the community, a move criticized as insufficient by local leaders.
    This case highlights ongoing issues of environmental justice, permit compliance, and community health implications amid AI infrastructure expansion.