EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Project Jupiter, the data center being built in Santa Teresa, will reportedly be powered by more efficient and cleaner technology, reducing its water use.
According to a press release put out by Oracle, a company that offers “cloud infrastructure” for AI companies, and BorderPlex Digital Assets, a company that helps develop centers in the area, the up-and-coming data center will use “Bloom Energy” fuel cells.
This technology is said to replace the gas turbines and diesel generators originally planned to power the center.
According to the release, these fuel cells will reduce polluting emissions by about 92 percent and use so little water that the release called it a “negligible amount.”
“We are excited to move forward with this updated energy solution, which reflects our commitment to both the latest innovation and community priorities as we advance the next generation of AI infrastructure,” said Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “Bloom’s fuel cell technology enables us to deliver highly reliable on-site power with a lower environmental footprint—supporting the project’s performance needs while contributing to stronger environmental outcomes.”
In the release, BorderPlex called the announcement “an important milestone” as the company plans to turn the southern New Mexico desert into a national platform for “advanced computing, cleaner energy, and long-term economic growth.”
“Project Jupiter started with a belief that Doña Ana County could become a Tier 1 industrial engine for New Mexico,” said Lanham Napier, chairman, BorderPlex Digital Assets. “We said we could help bring cleaner energy, stronger infrastructure, more jobs and new investment to southern New Mexico, and that vision is becoming reality. With this announcement, Project Jupiter is becoming a platform for better jobs, stronger infrastructure, and generational opportunity in a region with the talent, work ethic, and ambition to help lead New Mexico’s next chapter of growth.”
Furthermore, the release details that Oracle will continue to bear all energy costs for the data center Project Jupiter, to make sure that the community’s electricity rates and/or power grid remain intact.
“Bloom has rapidly become the platform of choice for powering AI data centers responsibly,” said Aman Joshi, chief commercial officer, Bloom Energy. “Bloom’s fuel cell technology will power what is expected to be one of the largest data center microgrids operating in the United States at the time of completion. Our energy solution not only dramatically reduces water use, it is also cleaner, quieter, and helps protect electricity rates for local residents. This is a model that can be replicated across America—it is digital power for the digital age.”
The release also notes that Project Jupiter has committed $50 million to help repair and improve water systems in the area; $360 million for schools, infrastructure, and local services; and $6.9 million to fund workforce development, the Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces, clean drinking water, the community college, and habitat restoration.
According to the release, construction on Project Jupiter continues to move forward as scheduled and is expected to create 4,000 construction jobs and 1,500 ongoing jobs on-site with the priority being to hire local people.
However, the data center has been embroiled in some controversy.
For more information, visit Oracle.com.
RELATED: Doña Ana County commissioners seek clarification on Project Jupiter data center campus
Back in April, Dona Ana County adopted a resolution to seek answers from the Project Jupiter developers to ensure that the center was going to use “water-saving” systems, as it was originally pitched to county commissioners.
Then, in March, a proposed pipeline that would supply only Project Jupiter with natural gas went under federal review.
The Green Chile Pipeline Project, as it was called, would’ve cost over $60 million to build and would’ve supplied 400,000 dekatherms of natural gas a day.
To put that number in perspective, that is almost 600,000 times more gas the average home uses in a year, according to 2020 numbers from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
READ MORE: Proposed 17-mile natural gas pipeline for Project Jupiter data center under review
All this also comes after lawsuits were filed against Dona Ana County, claiming that commissioners approved billions of dollars in incentives for the project without having all the information regarding how the data would impact water use and air quality.
RELATED: Judge denies Dona Ana County bid to dismiss Project Jupiter lawsuit
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