Latest news with #DataCenterMap
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Data centers and their neighbors
QTS Data Centers in Hillsboro on Oct. 11, 2024. (Rian Dundon/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregon has a big and (relatively) new kind of business it doesn't really know how to deal with. It should start soon to figure that out. This new sector consists of its mass of data centers, more of which are likely to pop up in coming years. But the state has no overall strategy for dealing with them. It should, because data centers, economically significant and technically important as they are, are a business unlike any other. Governments need a separate and specific set of policies to deal with them. One reason the state (like many others) has been behind the curve may be inadequate information about the sector, but more is becoming available. Organizations that track data centers aren't in agreement about exactly how many the state has: 131 according to Data Center Map, 84 according to The timing of their surveys could have affected the difference in numbers, but so could questions about how you count them. Data Center Map, for example, says that the largest grouping of centers in the state is at Boardman, with 30 centers listed. All, however, are Amazon AWX PDX, bunched in five different campuses. How many distinct units of these should be counted comes down to a matter of definition. Regardless of the exact numbers, Oregon clearly is among the state leaders for data centers. It has fewer than California and about the same as Arizona, but more than any other state west of Texas. About 2,500 data centers are estimated to exist in the United States, so Oregon's share is above average per capita. One attraction for the state is cheap hydropower: Most of the centers are located not far from the Columbia River. Oregon's moderate climate and relative safety from natural and human-caused disasters are pluses as well. For some purposes, data centers are classified as large industrial operations, which they are — but they're also distinctive from most businesses in that category. They not only use unusually large amounts of electricity but water as well, and they employ far fewer people than most industrial businesses usually do. The tracking site said 'Oregon, with its strategic geographical location, offers several advantages that make it an ideal choice for businesses looking to store their data. The state boasts a robust technology infrastructure, including reliable power supply and high-speed internet connectivity. Additionally, Oregon's temperate climate ensures optimal cooling conditions for data centers, reducing energy consumption and associated costs. These factors contribute to the overall efficiency and reliability of the colocation services available in the region.' Several private data companies dominate the service provision in Oregon: Lumen Colocation appears to be the largest. But Google has a large center in The Dalles, Amazon in Boardman, Hermiston and Umatilla, and both Meta (Facebook) and Apple have substantial operations in Prineville. Besides those well-known locations, Oregon has data centers in Portland, Eugene, Medford, Bend, Hillsboro, Corvallis, Baker City and Bandon. It's truly an industry with statewide reach. They are significant economic players, but they have been walled off from much of the rest of the state's economic and social picture in ways most businesses are not. Their impact on the state and on their neighbors in the areas of electric power, water use, and much more may become large, and it's not entirely predictable. How should we interact with them? What should we fairly expect of them? That's a broad debate begging for a legislative airing. The Oregon Citizens Utility Board, a consumer-oriented nonprofit, said that 'utility investments to serve data centers have been pushing up billing rates to residential, small business, and even other industrial customers. We've seen the dire impact of data centers' rapidly rising energy costs — in 2024, Oregon's for-profit utilities disconnected a record number of households because they could not afford their electricity bills.' The Oregon Legislature has taken note of this specific issue.. This year's House Bill 3546, sponsored by Reps. Pam Marsh, Mark Owens, and Dacia Grayber and Sens. Janeen Sollman and Jeff Golden, covers a narrow though significant segment of data center impact: Electric power rates. It passed the Senate on June 3 and the House cleared amendments from the other chamber on June 5, in both cases with generally Democratic support and Republican opposition. The bill goes to the governor next for final action. That bill raises sensible questions, but it should be the foot in the door to a broader discussion of how these centers should relate to the rest of us. Data centers should be put in a new category by themselves, for utility, regulatory and service purposes. Working through that effort should be a long-term project starting now. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Investigation uncovers shocking fallout from big tech's booming data center buildout: 'The verge of ... collapse'
An investigation has uncovered that three tech giants are set to build more water-hungry data centers in some of the world's driest areas. Experts warn that communities could suffer. The nonprofit SourceMaterial used local news reports and industry sources, Baxtel and Data Center Map, to document 632 active or under-development data centers from Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, according to The Guardian, which was also involved in the investigation. It found the companies intended to increase the number of data centers they own worldwide by 78%, with projects planned in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Many of those centers will be in the arid regions. The demand for data centers — essentially used to power a myriad of digital services — has been skyrocketing with the emergence of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence. Data centers can gobble up more energy than entire countries, leading at times to higher utility rates and strained electrical grids that can lead to blackouts, as well as spewing planet-warming pollution into the atmosphere if their power source relies on dirty fuels. What's more, just a midsize data center can require up to 300,000 gallons of water each day. With a warming climate, driven by human activities, contributing to increased water scarcity and making its availability more volatile, adding more data centers to the mix could have a troublesome ripple effect across multiple systems, including our food supply. Lorena Jaume-Palasí, founder of the Ethical Tech Society, told The Guardian that "resilience from a resource perspective is going to be very difficult" for populations grappling with water scarcity, including in Spain, which is on "the verge of ecological collapse," even as Amazon plans to add a fourth data center to the Aragon region. Cryptocurrency and AI both have the potential to contribute to a greener and safer future, with companies using digital currency to fund projects like reforestation and ocean cleanups, and AI leading to more accurate weather forecasting, among other things. For their part, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have said they plan to be "water positive" by the end of the decade, per the Guardian. All have also invested in clean-energy projects, including to support AI operations. However, critics remain skeptical they'll live up to some of their promises. "I'll believe it when I see it," Jaume-Palasí told The Guardian of Microsoft's "zero water" data center initiative and Google's plans to cool data centers with air to reduce water use. "Most data centers right now are going from air cooling to water cooling because liquid is more efficient." How should we protect workers from losing jobs to AI-powered robots? Financial assistance for job training Regulations on companies I don't know Nothing Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Nathan Wangusi, a former water sustainability manager at Amazon, also said he had internally raised the alarm that the company's water-offset approach was "not ethical." Learning about greenwashing and critical climate issues is one way to empower yourself to advocate for change, hold corporations accountable, and determine which companies or services you want to support. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Electric grid operator warns of power outage risk as summer demand peaks in Ohio, NKY
Although unlikely, some "extreme scenarios" and weather this summer could result in insufficient energy to power Ohio and Northern Kentucky, an electric grid operator is warning. PJM Interconnection, which operates electrical transmission for Ohio and 12 other states, is forecasting summer energy use to peak at just over 154,000 megawatts. PJM should be able to able to supply enough power, according to the organization. PJM has around 179,200 megawatts of capacity this summer and around 7,900 megawatts contracted. But, unexpected drastic circumstances could put power supply at risk, according to PJM. And the National Weather Service is predicting a hotter-than-normal summer. In an extreme scenario, peak power load could reach more than 166,000 megawatts, which would set a record for the organization, according to PJM. Under such a scenario, PJM would rely on contracted programs to meet its needs. 'This outlook at a record peak heat scenario reflects our years-long and mounting concerns as we plan for enough resources to maintain grid reliability,' Aftab Khan, PJM executive vice president of operations, planning and security said in a press release. 'All resources within PJM's footprint should be prepared to respond when called upon.' PJM's record summer peak was set at 165,563 MW in 2006. In 2024, PJM's summer peak was about 152,700 megawatts, and in 2023 it was 147,000 megawatts, according to the organization. One megawatt can power about 800 homes, according to PJM. Although there may be enough power to go around this summer, Ohio could face an energy shortfall within two years if something isn't done to bolster the PJM electrical grid, according to a study released in February by the Ohio Business Roundtable. If something isn't done by 2027, blackouts during severe weather could become more common, energy costs may increase and businesses considering a home in Ohio may look elsewhere, Pat Tiberi, chief executive officer of the Ohio Business Roundtable has said. Data centers have been driving a lot of the increased demand for power in Ohio. Ohio's surge in data centers means the state could eat up so much electricity that demand for power in the Columbus region will be similar to all of Manhattan by 2030, according to American Electric Power. With 179 data centers, Ohio has the fifth most of any state in the nation, according to Data Center Map, which tracks them. The majority of Ohio's planned or operational data centers are owned by Amazon Web Services. Dispatch investigative reporter Max Filby can be reached by email at mfilby@ Find him on X at the handle @MaxFilby or on Facebook at @ReporterMaxFilby. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Electric grid operator warns of power outage risk ahead of summer
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Electric grid operator warns of power outage risk as summer demand peaks in Ohio, NKY
Although unlikely, some "extreme scenarios" and weather this summer could result in insufficient energy to power Ohio and Northern Kentucky, an electric grid operator is warning. PJM Interconnection, which operates electrical transmission for Ohio and 12 other states, is forecasting summer energy use to peak at just over 154,000 megawatts. PJM should be able to able to supply enough power, according to the organization. PJM has around 179,200 megawatts of capacity this summer and around 7,900 megawatts contracted. But, unexpected drastic circumstances could put power supply at risk, according to PJM. And the National Weather Service is predicting a hotter-than-normal summer. In an extreme scenario, peak power load could reach more than 166,000 megawatts, which would set a record for the organization, according to PJM. Under such a scenario, PJM would rely on contracted programs to meet its needs. 'This outlook at a record peak heat scenario reflects our years-long and mounting concerns as we plan for enough resources to maintain grid reliability,' Aftab Khan, PJM executive vice president of operations, planning and security said in a press release. 'All resources within PJM's footprint should be prepared to respond when called upon.' PJM's record summer peak was set at 165,563 MW in 2006. In 2024, PJM's summer peak was about 152,700 megawatts, and in 2023 it was 147,000 megawatts, according to the organization. One megawatt can power about 800 homes, according to PJM. Although there may be enough power to go around this summer, Ohio could face an energy shortfall within two years if something isn't done to bolster the PJM electrical grid, according to a study released in February by the Ohio Business Roundtable. If something isn't done by 2027, blackouts during severe weather could become more common, energy costs may increase and businesses considering a home in Ohio may look elsewhere, Pat Tiberi, chief executive officer of the Ohio Business Roundtable has said. Data centers have been driving a lot of the increased demand for power in Ohio. Ohio's surge in data centers means the state could eat up so much electricity that demand for power in the Columbus region will be similar to all of Manhattan by 2030, according to American Electric Power. With 179 data centers, Ohio has the fifth most of any state in the nation, according to Data Center Map, which tracks them. The majority of Ohio's planned or operational data centers are owned by Amazon Web Services. Dispatch investigative reporter Max Filby can be reached by email at mfilby@ Find him on X at the handle @MaxFilby or on Facebook at @ReporterMaxFilby. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Electric grid operator warns of power outage risk ahead of summer
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Electricity demand in Northwest could double in next 20 years, forecast finds
QTS Data Centers in Hillsboro on Oct. 11, 2024. Data centers are driving near-term energy demand in the region, according to a new regional power forecast from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. (Rian Dundon/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Demand for electricity in the Northwest could double by 2046, according to a new energy forecast from regional experts. Over the next two decades, demand could increase by between 1.8% and 3.1% annually, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council heard Tuesday. The projected growth will come primarily from companies building more data centers in the region, more electric vehicles on roads, electrifying buildings, computer chip manufacturing and the production of 'green hydrogen' created by running an electrical current through water to split the molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Pacific NW wins $1 billion from feds for 'Clean Hydrogen Hub.' Now what? Council staff presented the 20-year forecast for electricity demand in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and western Montana Tuesday to the council's eight, governor-appointed members. Each state's governor gets to appoint two representatives. 'The data centers, naturally in our forecasts, are the very early load growth driver here. They're the big driver of near term demand,' Steven Simmons, senior energy forecasting analyst, told the council. Energy demand from data centers and from all electric vehicles in the region are expected to be equal by 2046, and demand from EVs is likely to surpass data center demand after 2046, Simmons said. Residential and commercial demand, which includes forecasted energy demand for electric vehicle charging at homes and buildings, but does not include data centers, is expected to grow more gradually. Demand for residential and commercial energy in Washington alone will equal the combined demand from those sectors in Oregon, Idaho and Montana during the next two decades. The energy forecast, part of the council's forthcoming 9th Northwest Regional Power Plan to manage demand, does not yet include some possible variables that could reduce future demand, such as improved energy efficiency in cars, buildings and some industries as a response to demand, as well as growing adoption of rooftop solar on residential and commercial buildings. But rapidly growing demand now means electricity grids in the Northwest and across the U.S. are encountering transmission constraints, and scaling infrastructure to meet demand has been slow due to supply chain delays and issues, staff said. Council staff expect the biggest growth in data center and computer chip energy demand will occur in eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and the Portland and Boise metro areas, based on historical trends and announced projects. There are more than 100 data centers in Oregon, according to the company Data Center Map, and there are more than 5,000 data centers throughout the U.S. according to Statista — the most in any country. Oregon's data center market is the fifth largest in the nation, according to Chicago-based commercial real estate group Cushman & Wakefield. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and X, formerly named Twitter, have massive data centers in eastern Oregon as well as in The Dalles, Hillsboro and Prineville. To develop its next power plan, the council will evaluate supply side resources, including the potential for more regional windfarms, utility-scale and small-scale solar installations, better battery storage and more geothermal and fracked gas sources, among other options. The council has published regional power plans about every five years since 1983, to lay out how the region will maintain an affordable and adequate power supply. A draft of the plan, an update from the last one that was published in 2021, is expected to be ready for public review and input by July 2026 and would be finalized by late 2026, according to council spokesperson Peter Jensen. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council was formed in 1981 following passage of the federal Northwest Power Act. That act directed the four states to work collaboratively on regional energy planning and to stop the decline of native Columbia Basin fish species that have suffered massive population losses over the last century, primarily from the development of hydroelectric dams in the region. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek in February appointed two new Oregon representatives to the council: Margaret Hoffmann, of Bend, and Chuck Sams, of Pendleton. Hoffman is the former Oregon director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program and energy adviser to former Oregon Govs. John Kitzhaber and Kate Brown. Sams, former executive director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, was most recently director of the National Park Service. Sams briefly served on the council in 2021 before he was appointed to run the Park Service. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
