Minnesota Data Center News

Mar 27, 2026

Form Energy signs 12GWh agreement to supply multi-day iron-air batteries to new US AI data centres

Form Energy has signed a 12GWh supply agreement with Crusoe for iron-air batteries, announced at CERAWeek 2026.

Main announcement: The agreement secures 12GWh of iron-air battery capacity for Crusoe with secured volumes, pricing and delivery terms beginning in 2027; Form Energy said the batteries will be manufactured at its Form 1 factory in West Virginia.
Background and details: The article references Form Energy’s other 2026 commitments including a 30GWh element in the Google–Xcel Energy multi-technology supply deal (enabling 100-hour dispatch of 300MW) and a planned 10MW / 1,000MWh project with FuturEnergy Ireland expected online in 2029; the Crusoe agreement is significant but prospective until first projects are underway, and questions remain about round-trip efficiency (RTE) of iron-air technology.

Mar 25, 2026

Welcome Katie, Anna, and Makhai

Fresh Energy has announced three new staff and fellows to support its mission to equitably and rapidly decarbonize Minnesota.

New hires and roles: Fresh Energy welcomed Katie Maxwell as Associate, Electricity, Anna Edmunds as a Humphrey School fellow (University of Minnesota), and Makhai/Mahkai Hunt as the 2026 Capitol Pathways intern; these individuals will contribute to Minnesota-focused clean electricity, legislative engagement, and equity work. Katie earned an M.E.M. from Duke in 2025 and will work on Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs), data centers, and virtual power plants; Anna is pursuing an MPP at the Humphrey School and will track PUC dockets, energy affordability, and energy burden cap legislation; Makhai is a Macalester College junior and will work with Fresh Energy’s Public Affairs team during the 2026 Capitol Pathways internship.
Background and implementation details: The announcement references prior experience and institutional partnerships: Katie’s background includes work with Faith in Place, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, and Duke’s Nicholas Institute; Anna previously worked at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission and will work alongside Shubha Harris on Minnesota PUC dockets and research including data center impacts on energy and water; Makhai will work with Brynn Kirsling and the ongoing Capitol Pathways program (hosted by Fresh Energy for eight years) to support legislative engagement and representation efforts.

Mar 19, 2026

Google Signs Deal for Demand Response Capacity for Data Centers

Google has announced it has integrated 1 GW of demand response capacity into its long-term energy contracts with multiple U.S. utilities.

Main announcement: Google integrated 1 GW of demand response capacity into long-term energy contracts with multiple U.S. utilities, explicitly naming Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Entergy Arkansas, Minnesota Power, and DTE Energy.
Background and details: Since initial agreements with I&M and TVA last year, Google says the capability lets it limit or shift ML workloads in data centers to support grid balancing; Google is a founding member of EPRI DCFlex and is collaborating with states, regulators, and utility partners to modernize power system planning.

Mar 19, 2026 · Google

A new milestone for smart, affordable electricity growth

Google has announced it integrated 1 GW of demand response capacity into long-term energy contracts with multiple U.S. utilities.

Main announcement: Google has integrated a total of 1 gigawatt (GW) of demand response capacity into long-term energy contracts with multiple U.S. utilities (including Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Entergy Arkansas, Minnesota Power, and DTE Energy) to allow the company to shift or reduce ML workloads, deploy demand response quickly to bridge short-term load growth, and help new data centers connect more rapidly to local grids.
Background and implementation details: These contracts position demand response as a capacity resource alongside solar, geothermal and long-duration energy storage; Google cites collaboration with states, regulators and utility partners, participation in initiatives like EPRI DCFlex, and notes limits to availability by location and that demand response helps cover peak periods while longer-term generation/storage projects are developed.

Mar 19, 2026

US Roundup: solar-plus-storage projects advance across the country

Google and DTE Energy have announced plans to develop a data centre project in Michigan (Project Cannoli) supported by 1,600MW of solar PV and 450MW of energy storage, with Google funding the resources and DTE operating them under a 20-year Clean Capacity Accelerator Agreement (CCAA).

Main announcement: Google and DTE will deliver 1,600MW of solar PV paired with 450MW of storage (specified as 400MW/1,600MWh BESS plus 50MW of LDES), under a 20-year CCAA; Google will provide DTE with approximately 300MW of Zonal Resource Credits (ZRCs) at no cost and commit US$10 million to programmes to reduce household energy bills in Michigan.
Additional details & background: The filing identifies the site as Project Cannoli (potentially in Van Buren Township); Google recently closed a US$4.75 billion acquisition of TPG Rise Climate’s Intersect Power stake and has announced multi‑billion data centre and AI capital plans (Google cited US$40 billion for three Texas data centres and US$185 billion in AI‑related capex for the year). Related US project announcements in the article include: Sunraycer (620MWdc solar, 477MWh BESS in Texas), Invenergy/SRP SunDog (200MW solar + 200MW/800MWh BESS in Arizona), Idemitsu Azalea (60MW/152MWh operating in California), and Clēnera’s US$304 million financing for the 120MW/400MWh Crimson Orchard project in Idaho.

Mar 18, 2026

Google data center environmental review process sparks debate in Hermantown community

Hermantown city officials have announced they are updating the AUAR for the proposed Google data center.

Main action: Hermantown is updating the AUAR (alternative urban area-wide review) for the proposed Google data center after the AUAR was approved in October; the city expects the AUAR update to take seven months, will hold two public comment periods, and permitting cannot proceed until environmental review is complete.
Background and details: Opponents are calling for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) instead; the Minnesota EQB states that AUAR and EIS provide comparable levels of analysis but differ in use case (EIS for a specific project, AUAR for area-wide scenarios). Hermantown cites the project’s “rapidly evolving technological elements” and a projected 8–10 year construction period as reasons the AUAR’s flexibility and status as a “living-document” are appropriate. The city, as the responsible governmental unit (RGU), has the final decision on the level of environmental review.

Mar 11, 2026

Google bets big on 30GWh of Form Energy’s iron-air battery storage despite efficiency trade-offs

Xcel Energy announced it will install 30GWh of Form Energy’s iron‑air batteries at Google’s Pine Island, Minnesota data centre.

Project scope: Xcel Energy and Google have agreed to deploy a 300MW/30GWh iron‑air battery project using Form Energy’s 100‑hour battery system to provide multi‑day (several days) discharge capability and support reliable, around‑the‑clock power on a grid with rising renewable penetration and extreme weather exposure.
Background and details: The announcement describes the system as multi‑day energy storage; Form Energy co‑founder and CEO Mateo Jaramillo called it “the largest battery system by energy capacity ever announced globally.” The project location is Pine Island, Minnesota, and parties explicitly named are Xcel Energy, Form Energy, and Google.

Mar 3, 2026

Google Data Center in Minnesota Would Be Powered by Wind, Energy Storage

Minnesota Power has signed an electric service agreement (ESA) with Google to supply energy for a 700-MW data center in Hermantown, Minnesota.

Main announcement: The ESA commits to powering the proposed 700-MW data center using 300 MW of wind power and 400 MW of battery storage, operating under an existing regulated rate structure; Google will fund necessary energy infrastructure costs, and the ESA will be filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for review and approval later this month.
Background and other details:Google will provide $5 million in energy impact funding for Minnesota Power’s energy affordability and efficiency programs for low- to moderate-income residential customers, and the data center will contribute millions of dollars each year to the statewide energy efficiency and weatherization program as specified in the 2025 Minnesota data center energy law; Minnesota Power reports more than 60% of its generation comes from renewables under its EnergyForward strategy.

Feb 28, 2026

Letter: Data center is not worth the environmental trade-offs

Aubree Derksen, a Pine Island resident, has written a letter to the Post Bulletin opposing Google’s proposed Pine Island data center.

Main announcement: The letter opposes the Google data center in Pine Island, arguing it causes permanent damage to ecosystems, property value depreciation, adverse health effects from light/noise/air pollution, and criticizes Google’s use of market-based emissions rather than location-based emissions; the author also states Google does not need tax abatement.
Background and details: The letter asserts that the community still faces local pollution despite carbon offsets purchased elsewhere, notes unknown power usage for the project, and includes an allegation referencing the “Epstein Files”, demanding their release.

Feb 27, 2026

Google and Xcel Energy to Deploy 300MW / 30GWh Form Iron-Air Battery in Minnesota

Google and Xcel Energy have announced a definitive agreement to deploy a 300MW / 30GWh Form Energy iron-air battery system in Pine Island, Minnesota.

Main announcement: Google and Xcel Energy will deploy a 300MW / 30GWh iron-air battery (Form Energy technology) to support a new Google data centre in Pine Island, Minnesota; the package also includes 1,400 MW of new wind, 200 MW of new solar, and Google will make a USD 50 million investment into Xcel’s Capacity*Connect programme. The Electric Service Agreement will be submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for approval in the coming weeks.
Background and project details: Industry sources describe the deal as a USD 1 billion commitment by Google to Form Energy; batteries will be manufactured at Form Factory 1 in Weirton, West Virginia (scaling toward 500MW annual production capacity by 2028) and the facility is eligible for up to USD 150 million in federal support; Form Energy previously raised USD 405 million in Series F (2024).

Minnesota Data Center Intel

Recent Minnesota data center news