Getting your news
Attempting to reconnect
Finding the latest in Climate
Hang in there while we load your news feed
Minnesota Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Minnesota — updated daily.
Recent Minnesota data center news
-
Business and the new world of water: A talk with Ecolab CEO Christophe Beck
Ecolab (chairman and CEO Christophe Beck) commits to help customers save enough water for the drinking needs of one billion people by 2030; the company says it helped save enough water for over 780 million people last year.
- Main announcement and specifics:Ecolab (Christophe Beck) has made a public commitment to help customers save the drinking-water needs of one billion people by 2030; the company reports it helped save enough water for over 780 million people last year. Ecolab is deploying technologies and services in industries including data centers and microelectronics (chip fabs)—notably direct-to-chip cooling, coolant-distribution units (CDUs), and fluid-quality management—to enable reuse/recycling of water within production processes.
- Background and implementation details: Ecolab is a global company with 48,000 employees, serves 40 industries in 170+ countries, and has annual revenues of $16 billion. The company highlights that 150 companies impact a third of global water usage (driving the Water Resilience Coalition effort). Beck says Ecolab has refocused R&D toward data centers and chip manufacturing, cites estimates that AI by 2030 will require power roughly the size of India and drinking-water needs comparable to the United States, and plans to use digital tools and AI to scale the expertise of its ~27,000 experts across markets. The company is also consolidating systems (ERP, CRM, one cloud) as part of implementation.
-
Minnesota lawmakers squabble over data centers, possible environmental impacts
Minnesota lawmakers have debated a bipartisan bill to change the permitting processes for data centers in the state, pushed by Sen. Andrew Mathews. The bill aims to loosen restrictions on generator permits, currently limited to emergency use. This has raised concerns among Democrats about potential environmental impacts and the influence of large corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. Some lawmakers propose legislation to regulate water use and enforce a 65% carbon-free energy supply for data centers, emphasizing the growing energy demands and water usage they entail.
-
A surprise contender for cooling computers: lasers
Sandia National Laboratories, in collaboration with Minnesota-based startup Maxwell Labs and the University of New Mexico, has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement to test laser-based photonic cooling technology for computer chips. This technology aims to regulate chip temperature, significantly reduce power consumption, and increase the efficiency of existing air and water cooling systems. The project focuses on creating micrometer-thin gallium arsenide-based components for this new cooling method, which could have transformative effects on data centers where energy costs are a growing concern.
-
Week in Review March 31-April 4
The Minnesota Legislature discussed proposed legislation that aims to establish state policies regarding large data centers. These large facilities have been points of discussion for their environmental footprint, particularly regarding water usage and energy consumption. Specific provisions for assessing and managing their impact on local resources were outlined. Lawmakers are particularly focusing on ensuring that data centers operate sustainably within the environmental framework of Minnesota.
-
Bill proposes more scrutiny for water usage at large data centers
The Minnesota House of Representatives proposed Bill HF3007 under the sponsorship of Rep. Peter Fischer. The bill aims to allow the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to impose extra scrutiny on proposed data centers expected to consume over 100 million gallons of water annually or 250,000 gallons daily. This legislation arises from concerns about the substantial water usage of large data centers, particularly those being sought by major tech companies including Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft. A budget of $300,000 has been allocated to develop a water availability atlas to assist in assessing water resource needs for these centers.
-
Legislation proposes state policies on large data centers
The Minnesota House has introduced legislation to regulate large data centers, which are expected to demand significant resources, including electricity and water. The bill, HF2928, proposed by Rep. Patty Acomb, aims to ensure environmental reviews and establish energy efficiency measures while incorporating consumer protection provisions. It has provisions for water use caps and requires data centers to pay fees for energy conservation programs, reflecting a push for sustainable practices in the tech industry.
-
DeepSeek AI will fuel more data center work
DeepSeek, a China-based company, has garnered attention for its low-cost AI model, suggesting data center power demand may not be as high as previously thought. However, industry experts like John Medina from Moody’s Ratings and Mitchell Osborne from Adolfson & Peterson Construction argue that advancements in AI will lead to increased energy usage as more companies emerge. The demand for power infrastructure is surging, with tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft rapidly expanding their data center projects. A joint venture involving OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle is set to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure, further fueling the need for power construction. The U.S. power grid struggles to keep pace with this demand, as projections indicate data center energy use could reach nearly 580 terawatt-hours by 2028.
-
How utilities can accelerate microgrid deployment
The article discusses the expected surge in US electricity demand, which is forecasted to grow by an average of 3% per year over the next five years. Utilities are adopting a multifaceted approach to meet this demand, including the deployment of microgrids. Duke Energy has implemented a solar-powered microgrid in Hot Springs, NC, to enhance reliability in remote areas. Meanwhile, Xcel Energy plans to establish a network of solar-powered energy storage hubs to improve reliability and support clean energy development.
-
Tax breaks bring data center expansion, plus environmental concerns
US-based Minnesota has initiated a massive expansion of data centers, projecting to grow 40-50 times larger within a few years. Meta has committed an $800 million investment for a data center in Rosemount, anticipated to create 1,000 construction jobs and 100 long-term jobs by next year. Environmental groups have expressed concerns regarding water use and energy consumption as these corporations are vying for tax breaks that could extend for decades.
-
It's time to GETs going... on transmission!
Oregon has enacted legislation mandating a transition to 80% clean electricity by 2030 and 100% by 2040. This shift is predominantly facilitated by Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, which delivered over half of their electricity from fossil fuels in 2021. As demand surges, driven by AI and electrification, upgrading transmission capacity through Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) becomes pivotal. The Oregon Legislature has an opportunity to advance this transition with proposed legislation, HB 3336.