Wisconsin Data Center Intel

Recent Wisconsin data center news

• Apr 10, 2026

  Anchorage Blocks New Data Centers in ‘Residential Zones’

  The Anchorage Assembly (city government) passed a new city ordinance defining data center land use and review requirements.

  • Ordinance passed 10-2: The ordinance bans new data centers in residential zones, limits data centers to commercial and industrial zoned districts, and requires a public review process plus input from local utilities before approval. It also requires disclosure of water and energy capacity and other environmental impact information.
  • Context and background: Anchorage’s action is framed as a proactive response to an anticipated surge in data center construction due to Alaska’s cooler climate; the article references a whitepaper by The Alaska Center urging clear disclosure of water draws, cites a Davis Wright Tremaine note that Anchorage currently has one colocation data center, and notes parallel anti-data-center actions in other U.S. communities (Festus, MO; Port Washington, WI).
• Apr 9, 2026

  Hyperscalers will own two-thirds of data center capacity by 2031

  Synergy Research Group reported that hyperscalers will account for 67% of all data center capacity by 2031.

  • Main announcement: Synergy Research Group says hyperscalers (Google, Microsoft, AWS) will reach 67% of global data center capacity by 2031, with enterprise on-prem data centers dropping from 56% in 2018 to 19% by 2031; the report also notes almost 60% of hyperscale capacity is in own-built facilities and non-hyperscale colocation accounts for ~20%.
  • Background & details: The article cites planned > $500 billion in capex by Google/Microsoft/AWS for AI infrastructure in fiscal year 2026, cites hyperscalers operating ~1,297 large data centers in Q3 2025 (1,360 by end-2025), references commitments such as the Ratepayer Protection Pledge (Google, Oracle, xAI, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon) and highlights electricity demand concerns (EIA: price hikes up to 79% in areas like Texas by 2027); it references expanded compute partnerships (Anthropic–Google/Broadcom; OpenAI–AMD) with multi-gigawatt capacity starting 2027.
• Apr 8, 2026

  Wisconsin Town Votes to Restrict Tax Incentives for OpenAI Data Center

  Residents of Port Washington passed a referendum restricting city officials from granting tax incentives for large projects without voter approval.

  • Main announcement: The referendum requires voter approval before city leaders may offer tax incentives for any future development project valued at more than $10 million; the measure passed with 2,710 votes in favor and 1,371 opposed (more than 50% of 8,257 registered voters participated).
  • Context and details: The vote was triggered by plans for a proposed $15 billion data center campus tied to the Stargate project (a reported $500 billion national AI infrastructure initiative led by OpenAI and SoftBank); Oracle said the proposed campus would contribute $175 million toward local infrastructure upgrades and estimate 4,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent positions.
• Apr 7, 2026

  CO2 battery startup Energy Dome signs MOU to deploy technology at Texas data centre

  Energy Dome has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with New Era Energy & Digital (NUAI) to evaluate deployment of its CO2 Battery Plus at NUAI’s Texas Critical Data Centres (TCDC) in Odessa, Texas.

  • Main announcement: The MOU creates a framework for Energy Dome (headquartered in Italy) and NUAI to evaluate implementing CO2 Battery Plus to support NUAI’s AI-optimised 1GW data centre in Odessa, Texas, with priorities on speed to power, reduced reliance on grid interconnection timelines, high availability for mission-critical operations, and lower-emissions power generation.
  • Background and related projects/details: Energy Dome’s CO2 Battery Plus uses waste heat from OCGT exhaust (removing the need for prior heat storage) and can operate in Charge, Discharge (SuperBoost) and Generation (Boost) modes (SuperBoost can more than double output; Generation can boost net gas turbine output by as much as 25%). Related deployments: 200MWh Sardinia project (financial close 2024, Engie offtake signed in late 2024); Alliant Energy 20MW/200MWh project approved by regulators in July 2025 (construction to begin this year, completion expected by end of 2027). The article also references other LDES and multi-day battery deals including Google’s strategic investment in Energy Dome, Google’s plan for 30GWh of Form Energy iron-air batteries in Minnesota, and Form Energy’s 12GWh supply agreement with Crusoe.
• Apr 4, 2026

  Benji Backer: Nature is Nonpartisan

  Benji Backer has launched Nature is Nonpartisan to create a culturally relevant, nonpartisan conservation movement and to reframe how environmental issues are discussed.

  • Main action: Nature is Nonpartisan has produced media projects (a six-episode YouTube series already filmed) and is launching campaigns including “Going Public” (a public-lands ownership/certificate campaign running until May 30) to mobilize Americans around public lands and conservation. The organization also helped craft an executive order establishing the “Make America Beautiful Again” Conservation Commission and continues policy engagement while positioning the movement as nonpartisan.
  • Background and complementary action: Benji Backer previously founded the American Conservation Coalition (ACC, ~100,000 conservative members referenced) and now aims to broaden outreach beyond a single political constituency. Meanwhile, Energy Right (founder Skyler Zunk, team of five) is doing local clean-energy education in rural Virginia — promoting community solar, agrovoltaics (sheep grazing under panels), and addressing local concerns around land use and permitting, including the need to power growing energy demand from data centers in Northern Virginia.
• Apr 2, 2026

  States Race to Win the Tech Economy in 2026 State of the State Addresses

  Broadband and technology were prioritized across nearly 30 governors’ 2026 State of the State addresses.

  • Main announcement: Governors across the country emphasized broadband expansion, AI policy and workforce development, and data center/energy planning; specific claims include Maine reporting “more than a quarter million homes and businesses” served, Wisconsin reporting 410,000 businesses and households with new or improved internet, Kansas connecting 117,000 households and businesses, and the Virgin Islands reporting a territory-wide internet program with over 50,000 users per month. The addresses also included concrete funding and contract figures: Maryland announced a $4 million AI workforce training investment, and South Dakota cited a $35 million Department of Defense contract for warhead production.
  • Background and other details: Governors described partnerships and policy actions: Maryland cited collaborations with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Microsoft, a South Korean biotech firm, and AstraZeneca for AI work; Iowa cited partnerships with Amazon Web Services and Google Public Sector to modernize state systems; several governors (Indiana, New York, Nebraska) debated who should shoulder data center energy costs or accelerate permitting; some states (New Hampshire, Delaware, South Carolina) signaled nuclear energy pathways and DOE engagement. Implementation timelines are those stated in addresses (2026) and referenced ongoing programs and contracts (e.g., South Dakota’s $35 million DoD contract already awarded).
• Mar 30, 2026

  No one wanted to redevelop this polluted property. Then came AI.

  Viridian Partners has proposed to buy Janesville’s 250-acre former GM site, remediate contamination, and build an $8 billion, 11-building, 800 MW data center campus.

  • Main announcement:Viridian Partners offers to purchase a 250-acre parcel owned by the city of Janesville, remediate soil contaminated with hydrocarbons, heavy metals and PFAS at an estimated $30 million cleanup cost, and construct an 11-building, 800 MW data center campus with development partner Abbleby Strategy Group; the proposal estimates ~600 permanent jobs and ~13,000 construction jobs, and includes working with Alliant Energy and American Transmission Company to build a new electrical substation.
  • Background and other details: The EPA released guidance (Jan 2026) identifying 335 brownfields potentially suitable for data centers; the article references other large projects such as the $15 billion Stargate data center (OpenAI & Oracle), notes a canceled $20 million EPA community change grant and an ineligible $773 million environmental trust, and documents local energy, emissions, public-health, and political concerns including proposed new natural gas peaking plants, a citizen ballot initiative, and legislative proposals to expand developer access to brownfields funding.
• Mar 29, 2026

  AI's Arrival Complicates Big Tech Climate Goals, and Some Worry it's Locking in More Fossil Fuels

  The Associated Press reports that major tech companies including Google and Microsoft are acknowledging difficulty meeting their 2030 carbon-removal/carbon-neutral goals as rapid AI-driven data-center growth increases electricity demand.

  • Main point: Major tech firms are increasingly relying on natural gas and other fossil-fuel generation to power rapidly expanding AI data centers, putting earlier 2030 emissions/removal targets under strain; examples include two new natural gas plants in Wisconsin for a Microsoft data center, three natural gas plants planned to serve a Meta data center in rural Louisiana, and Google buying power from a natural gas plant at the Archer Daniels Midland facility in Decatur, Illinois with carbon capture and storage. The article reports companies’ emissions rose (Google ~50%, Amazon ~33%, Microsoft >23%, Meta >60%) and that data centers used ~4.6% of U.S. electricity in 2024 and that share could nearly triple by 2028.
  • Background/details: Analysts and groups cited include Wood Mackenzie, Clean Energy Buyers Association, International Energy Agency, Union of Concerned Scientists, World Resources Institute, Rhodium Group, and Uptime Institute; the piece notes natural gas accounted for >40% of electricity powering U.S. data centers in 2024 and coal supplied ~30% globally, that a backlog of grid interconnection approvals and proposed changes to renewable-credit accounting could complicate clean-energy claims, and that federal policy changes (cancellations of grants/permits and the ending of certain tax credits in July) under the Trump administration are affecting renewable deployment.
• 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 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.