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Top 5 Largest Data Center Projects in China (2026)

Nikitha Valike — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 07:28:39 +0000

China's data center industry is entering a new era of expansion driven by artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, sovereign computing infrastructure, and national digital transformation initiatives.

According to China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country plans to invest approximately 2 trillion yuan (USD 295 billion) between 2026 and 2030 to build a nationwide AI computing network. China's installed data center capacity has already reached approximately 40 GW, making it one of the world's largest and fastest-growing digital infrastructure markets.

The latest largest data center projects in China include ByteDance's AI data center expansion, Alibaba Cloud's AI infrastructure initiatives, Jinko Power's 1 GW green data center campus, China Telecom's Lin-gang Information Park expansion, and the NDRC's National AI Data Center Network. Together, these projects represent billions of dollars in investment and demonstrate China's commitment to becoming a global leader in AI infrastructure and cloud computing.

**Why China's Data Center Market Is Growing Rapidly
**Several factors are driving unprecedented growth in the Chinese data center market:
• Rapid adoption of artificial intelligence applications
• Expansion of hyperscale cloud computing services
• Growth of domestic AI ecosystems
• Increasing demand for high-performance computing (HPC)
• Development of sovereign AI infrastructure
• National "Eastern Data, Western Computing" strategy
• Large-scale investments in renewable-powered data centers
China's digital infrastructure strategy aims to distribute computing resources more efficiently while supporting AI innovation, cloud services, and enterprise digital transformation.
**1. ByteDance AI Data Center Campus (Datong)
**Developer
ByteDance / Volcano Cloud
Location
Datong, Shanxi Province, China
Investment
4.5 billion Yuan (Approximately USD 614 Million)
Status
Under Construction
ByteDance is developing one of China's largest AI-focused data center campuses through the Volcano Cloud Taihang Computing Center II project. The facility is designed to support large language models, AI training, AI inference, cloud services, recommendation engines, and advanced data processing workloads.
**Key Infrastructure Details
**Category Details
Campus Size 205,013 sq. m
Server Capacity 15,604 Server Cabinets
Network Capacity 510 Network Cabinets
Primary Purpose AI Computing & Cloud Infrastructure
Construction Start May 2023
The project forms part of ByteDance's broader AI expansion strategy across Northern China and supports the growing demand for its Doubao AI platform and cloud services. The facility is located within the Guangling County Economic Development Zone Big Data Park.
Why It Matters
• Supports AI model training and inference
• Expands China's domestic AI computing capacity
• Strengthens ByteDance's cloud infrastructure ecosystem
• Supports high-density computing deployments

**2. Alibaba Cloud AI Infrastructure Expansion
**Developer
Alibaba Cloud
Key Locations
• Hangzhou
• Nantong
• Heyuan
• Ulanqab
• Shaoguan
Alibaba Cloud is undertaking one of the largest cloud infrastructure expansion programs in China. The company has announced a three-year AI and cloud infrastructure investment program worth approximately CNY 380 billion (USD 52 billion), with significant investments in AI computing clusters, cloud campuses, and domestic AI chip technologies.

Shaoguan AI Computing Center
A flagship component of Alibaba's expansion is the Shaoguan AI Computing Center, developed in partnership with China Telecom.
Key Highlights
Category Details
AI Cluster Size 10,000 AI Accelerator Cards
Chip Technology Zhenwu AI Chips
Future Expansion 100,000 AI Chips
Industry Applications Healthcare, Manufacturing, Enterprise AI
Network Architecture 4-Microsecond Interconnect
The facility relies entirely on domestically developed AI chips and represents a major milestone in China's sovereign AI computing strategy.
Strategic Importance
• Supports China's domestic semiconductor ecosystem
• Expands hyperscale cloud infrastructure
• Enables large-scale AI training workloads
• Supports enterprise AI adoption

Jinko Power Zhongwei Green Data Center
Developer
Jinko Power
Location
Zhongwei, Ningxia, China
Investment
CNY 24.5 Billion (USD 3.4–3.6 billion)
Capacity
1 GW
Status
Framework Agreement Signed / Planned
The Jinko Power Zhongwei Green Data Center is among the largest planned AI data center developments in Asia. The project combines hyperscale computing infrastructure with renewable energy generation and aligns with China's "Eastern Data, Western Computing" initiative.
Infrastructure Details
Category Details
Campus Size 534,000 sq. m
IT Capacity 1 GW
Rack Capacity 50,000 Racks
Development Phases Three
Target Completion 2028
Phase Breakdown
• Phase 1: 400 MW
• Phase 2: 300 MW
• Phase 3: 300 MW
The project leverages Ningxia's renewable energy resources and favorable climate conditions to support sustainable AI infrastructure development.
Key Benefits
• Renewable-powered data center infrastructure
• Supports AI training and HPC workloads
• One of Asia's largest planned data center campuses
• Aligns with China's carbon reduction objectives
China Telecom Lin-gang Information Park Phase II
Developer
China Telecom
Location
Lin-gang Special Area, Shanghai
Investment
CNY 25 Billion (USD 3.57 Billion)
Capacity
290 MW
Status
Under Construction
China Telecom is expanding its Lin-gang Information Park to create a next-generation cloud, AI, and big data hub. Construction officially began in December 2025 and the facility is expected to become one of China's most important digital infrastructure assets.
Infrastructure Details
Category Details
Campus Size 350,000 sq. m
IT Capacity 290 MW
Initial Development 49,000 sq. m
Primary Uses AI, Cloud Computing, Big Data
Construction Start December 2025
Major Components
• Tianyi Cloud Core Nodes
• National Big Data Center
• International Communications Gateway
• AI Computing Infrastructure
• Cross-Border Digital Services Platform
The project benefits from Lin-gang's favorable cross-border data policies and is expected to attract cloud providers, AI companies, and international digital service providers.
National AI Data Center Network
Lead Organizations
• National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)
• China Mobile
• China Telecom
• China Unicom
Location
Nationwide
Status
Planning Stage
The National AI Data Center Network is arguably China's most ambitious digital infrastructure initiative. The project aims to connect major computing hubs across eight regional nodes under the Eastern Data, Western Computing framework.
Objectives
• Create a nationwide AI computing network
• Support sovereign AI infrastructure
• Improve utilization of regional computing resources
• Accelerate AI adoption across industries
• Reduce dependence on foreign computing technologies
The initiative will play a central role in China's long-term strategy to become a global leader in AI and advanced computing.

Major Data Center Companies in the Chinese Market
Here are the largest data center companies in China and their major announcements:
4.1. China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom
• China's three state-owned telecom operators form the backbone of the country's AI and cloud infrastructure.
• Collectively operate more than 1.5 GW of colocation capacity.
• Leading the national AI data center network under the NDRC's strategy.
• China Telecom plans to allocate about 35% of its 2026 CAPEX (CNY 73 billion) to AI data center infrastructure.
• China Mobile opened its 6.7 EFLOPS intelligent computing center in Hohhot and is expanding with additional facilities in Harbin and Guiyang.
4.2. Alibaba Cloud
• Announced a three-year AI and cloud infrastructure investment program worth CNY 380 billion (about USD 52 billion), which could reportedly rise to USD 69 billion.
• Expanding major cloud campuses across Hangzhou, Nantong, Heyuan, Ulanqab, and Shaoguan.
• Developed the Zhenwu 810E AI chip as part of its domestic semiconductor strategy.
• Supplied over 23,000 Chinese-made GPUs to China Unicom's Xining data center.
4.3. ByteDance / Volcano Cloud
• One of the fastest-growing AI infrastructure investors in China.
• Targeting more than 1.2 GW of AI data center capacity in 2026.
• Developing large campuses in Shanxi and Inner Mongolia.
• The Datong Volcano Cloud Taihang Computing Centre II project represents a CNY 4.5 billion (USD 614 million) investment.
4.4. Tencent Cloud
• Plans to double AI investment in 2026 to around CNY 36 billion.
• Upgrading data centers with liquid cooling systems capable of supporting racks exceeding 50 kW.
• Expanding GPU capacity across its cloud and AI infrastructure network.
• Building large AI computing clusters in Shanghai and other Yangtze River Delta locations.
4.5. Huawei Technologies
• Emerging as China's leading domestic AI infrastructure supplier.
• Offers CloudMatrix 384 architecture, delivering 300 petaflops in a single supernode.
• Provides modular liquid-cooled data center solutions for high-density AI workloads.
• Expanding its role through the Ascend AI ecosystem and domestic computing platforms.
4.6. GDS Holdings (DayOne)
• One of China's largest carrier-neutral data center operators.
• Raised USD 300 million in 2025 to fund high-performance AI facilities.
• Expanding campuses in Tianjin and Shaoguan.
• Pioneer behind China's first data center C-REIT structure.
4.7. VNET Group (21Vianet)
• Operates nearly 783 MW of wholesale data center capacity.
• Focused on hyperscale and AI customers.
• Continues to expand across major cloud and edge markets in China.
4.8. ChinData Group
• Acquired by Bain Capital and operates the Taihang Mountain Base in Shanxi.
• The campus is planned to exceed 500 MW, making it one of Asia's largest single data center parks.
• Expanding computing hubs across Inner Mongolia and central China.
4.9. Jinko Power
• Entered the data center sector in 2026.
• Developing a 1 GW green data center campus in Zhongwei, Ningxia.
• Combining renewable energy generation with AI infrastructure under China's "Eastern Data, Western Computing" strategy.
• Investing approximately CNY 24.5 billion (USD 3.4 billion).
4.10. HiCloud Technology
• Operates the world's first commercial offshore underwater data center near Shanghai.
• The 24 MW facility runs entirely on offshore wind power and achieves a PUE below 1.15.
• Planning a next-generation 500 MW underwater data center platform.
• Represents one of China's most innovative approaches to sustainable computing infrastructure.

Conclusion
China's data center industry is experiencing unprecedented growth driven by AI adoption, cloud computing expansion, and national digital infrastructure strategies. Projects such as the ByteDance AI Data Center Campus, Alibaba Cloud's AI infrastructure expansion, Jinko Power's 1 GW Green Data Center, China Telecom's Lin-gang Information Park, and the National AI Data Center Network demonstrate the scale of investment flowing into the sector.

With billions of dollars being invested in hyperscale data centers, AI computing infrastructure, renewable-powered facilities, and sovereign computing networks, China is positioning itself as one of the world's most influential digital infrastructure markets. Companies seeking opportunities in the China data center market, AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centers, cloud computing, and high-performance computing (HPC) sectors will continue to closely monitor these developments over the coming years.

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Top Data Center Projects in Hong Kong (2026)

Nikitha Valike — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 06:35:52 +0000

Hong Kong continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia's leading digital infrastructure hubs. The region's strategic location, international connectivity, growing cloud adoption, AI-driven workloads, and integration with the Greater Bay Area are driving significant investments in hyperscale and AI-ready data center infrastructure.

The latest generation of data center projects in Hong Kong focuses on high-density computing, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, colocation services, and enterprise digital transformation.

Major operators and investors are expanding capacity across key locations such as Tseung Kwan O, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Fo Tan, and the emerging Northern Metropolis region.

Top 5 Largest Data Center Projects in Hong Kong

Range Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster Developer: Range Intelligent Computing Technology Group Location: Sandy Ridge, Northern Metropolis, Hong Kong Status: Under Construction The Range Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster is expected to become the largest data center development in Hong Kong. Located near the Hong Kong–Shenzhen border, the project supports Hong Kong's ambition to become a regional AI and high-performance computing hub.

Investment and Economic Impact
Awarded in March 2026, the project secured the Sandy Ridge site through a two-envelope tender process that evaluated both technical proposals and financial bids.

The development aligns with the Hong Kong SAR Government's Policy Address 2023, which rezoned Sandy Ridge as an innovation and technology precinct to accommodate the growing demand for AI data center infrastructure and high-performance computing facilities.

Key Highlights
• Land Area: Approximately 116,000 square meters
• Gross Floor Area: Around 250,000 square meters
• Designed IT Capacity: 240 MW
• Target Computing Power: 180 ExaFLOPS by 2032
• Planned Investment: HKD 23.8 billion
• Land Acquisition Cost: HKD 581 million
• Construction Start: March 2026
• Initial Delivery: Expected from late 2028
• Expected Economic Output: HKD 4.6 billion
• Employment Creation: Approximately 180 technology-focused jobs
The project is designed to support AI infrastructure, hyperscale cloud services, high-performance computing (HPC), and enterprise workloads. Its strategic location strengthens connectivity between Hong Kong and mainland China while supporting Greater Bay Area digital growth.

SUNeVision MEGA IDC (Phases 1 & 2) Developer: SUNeVision Holdings (Sun Hung Kai Properties Group) Location: Tseung Kwan O Status: Phase 1 Operational; Phase 2 Under Construction SUNeVision's MEGA IDC campus is one of Hong Kong's most important hyperscale data center developments. The facility is being expanded to meet rising demand from cloud providers, AI companies, financial institutions, and enterprise customers.

Key Highlights
• Total Campus Development: Three Phases
• Gross Floor Area: Approximately 1.2 million sq. ft.
• Total Power Capacity: More than 180 MW
• Phase 1 Capacity: 50 MW
• Total Investment: More than HKD 15 billion
• Phase 2 Construction Started: March 2025
• Expected Completion: 2026–2027
The campus incorporates resilient infrastructure, multiple backup systems, and low-latency connectivity, making it a preferred destination for hyperscale and enterprise deployments.

3. Goodman Tsuen Wan West Campus
Developer: Goodman Group
Location: Tsuen Wan West
Status: Operational
The Goodman Tsuen Wan West Campus is among Hong Kong's most significant operational hyperscale facilities. The campus serves major technology companies, hyperscale cloud providers, and enterprise customers seeking scalable digital infrastructure.
Key Highlights
• Hyperscale-ready infrastructure
• Strategic location within Hong Kong's major data center corridor
• Supports cloud computing and AI workloads
• Home to major digital infrastructure tenants
• Part of Goodman's broader Hong Kong data center expansion strategy
Goodman continues to invest heavily in Hong Kong's data center market and remains one of the region's leading digital infrastructure developers.

4. Global Switch Hong Kong
Developer: Global Switch
Location: Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate
Status: Operational
Global Switch Hong Kong is one of the city's largest carrier-neutral data center campuses. The facility serves multinational corporations, financial institutions, cloud providers, and technology companies requiring highly resilient infrastructure.

Key Highlights
• Carrier-neutral ecosystem
• Strategic connectivity hub
• Enterprise-grade infrastructure
• Supports international and regional digital traffic
• Strong presence in financial services and cloud sectors
The facility remains a key component of Hong Kong's position as an international digital gateway.

5. China Mobile Global Intelligence Center
Developer: China Mobile International (CMI)
Location: Fo Tan, Sha Tin
Status: Opened March 2026
China Mobile's Global Intelligence Center is one of Hong Kong's newest large-scale digital infrastructure investments. The facility supports AI computing, cloud services, telecommunications, and data processing applications.

Key Highlights
• Opened in 2026
• Supports AI and cloud workloads
• Expands China Mobile's regional infrastructure footprint
• Strengthens Hong Kong's digital ecosystem
• Designed for next-generation computing requirements
The facility plays an important role in supporting increasing demand for AI-driven applications throughout Asia.

*Market Drivers
*
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The rapid adoption of AI applications is driving demand for high-density computing environments and AI-ready infrastructure.

Cloud Computing Expansion
Global cloud providers continue expanding their regional footprints, increasing demand for scalable and reliable data center capacity.

Greater Bay Area Integration
Closer economic integration with Shenzhen and neighboring cities is creating new opportunities for digital infrastructure investments.

Strong Connectivity
Hong Kong remains one of Asia's most connected telecommunications markets, making it attractive for international data traffic and cloud services.

*Conclusion
*
Hong Kong's data center market is entering a new growth phase driven by AI infrastructure, hyperscale cloud expansion, and digital transformation initiatives. Major developments such as the Range Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster, SUNeVision MEGA IDC, Goodman Tsuen Wan West Campus, Global Switch Hong Kong, and China Mobile's Global Intelligence Center demonstrate the scale of investment flowing into the region.

Traditional hubs such as Tseung Kwan O, Tsuen Wan, and Kwai Chung continue to attract investment, while the Northern Metropolis is emerging as Hong Kong's next major data center corridor. Despite challenges related to land availability, power constraints, and operational costs, Hong Kong remains a strategically important market for cloud providers, enterprises, hyperscalers, investors, and digital infrastructure developers.

As demand for AI computing, cloud services, and high-performance computing continues to grow, Hong Kong is expected to remain one of Asia's most influential data center markets for years to come.

Find the latest data center facility projects in Hong Kong for Business Opportunities.

Subscribe to our database on Data Center Facility Projects and Tenders in Hong Kong to get access to reliable and high-quality insights on upcoming, under-construction, and completed Data Center Facility Projects across the world or in your desired geographical location.

Why Water Matters More Than Power for Future Data Centers

Nikitha Valike — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:48:01 +0000

For years, power availability has dominated conversations around data center site selection. Developers, hyperscalers, and investors have focused heavily on securing reliable electricity supplies to support the rapid expansion of cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

However, another resource is emerging as a strategic constraint that could significantly influence the future of digital infrastructure development: water.

As digital transformation accelerates globally, many leading data center markets are facing new challenges related to resource availability, sustainability, and long-term infrastructure planning.

As AI-driven computing increases cooling requirements and climate-related pressures intensify, water availability is becoming a critical consideration in determining where future data centers can be built and operated. Access to reliable water resources, community acceptance, regulatory compliance, and long-term environmental resilience are increasingly influencing infrastructure investment decisions.

This shift signals a broader change in the way operators evaluate data center locations. Water is no longer simply an operational requirement; it is becoming a long-term strategic risk that can affect project viability, expansion potential, financing, and community relations.

*The Growing Importance of Water in Data Center Development
*
The global data center industry has traditionally viewed water as a utility requirement rather than a core site selection criterion. Most project evaluations prioritized factors such as:

• Power availability
• Connectivity and fiber infrastructure
• Land availability
• Tax incentives
• Construction costs
• Labor access

Water requirements were generally considered manageable as long as municipal supplies could support facility operations.

Today, that assumption is changing.

The rapid growth of AI infrastructure is increasing cooling requirements across data centers worldwide. High-density computing environments generate substantially more heat than traditional workloads, placing additional pressure on cooling systems and freshwater resources.

At the same time, many regions are experiencing increasing water stress due to climate change, population growth, industrial expansion, and prolonged drought conditions. As a result, water security is becoming just as important as energy security in many markets.

*Climate Change Is Reshaping Site Selection Decisions
*
Climate change is altering long-established assumptions about resource availability.

Historically, developers relied heavily on historical weather patterns and utility data when evaluating new sites. However, future conditions may differ significantly from past trends.

Several climate-related factors are affecting water availability:
• Rising temperatures increase evaporation rates.
• Changes in rainfall patterns affect water replenishment.
• Reduced snowpack impacts seasonal water supplies.
• Drought events are becoming more frequent and severe.
• Groundwater recharge rates are declining in many regions.

Because data centers are long-term assets designed to operate for decades, developers must increasingly evaluate future climate scenarios rather than relying solely on historical data. A location that appears attractive today may face substantial water challenges in the future.

*The Google Chile Case: A Lesson for the Industry
*
One of the most frequently cited examples of water-related infrastructure challenges involved Google's proposed data center project in Chile.
The project faced significant public scrutiny due to concerns about water consumption in a region already experiencing severe drought conditions. Community opposition and environmental reviews focused heavily on the facility's potential impact on local water resources.

*The experience highlighted an important industry lesson:
*
Even large technology companies cannot assume that water availability alone guarantees project approval.

Public perception, environmental stewardship, and community trust have become equally important. Developers increasingly need to demonstrate responsible water management strategies if they expect projects to move forward smoothly.
Understanding Water Risk Beyond Consumption

Water risk extends far beyond the amount of water a facility consumes.

A comprehensive water-risk assessment should consider:

• Drought vulnerability
• Groundwater depletion
• Regulatory restrictions
• Rising water costs
• Municipal allocation limits
• Environmental permitting requirements
• Community opposition
• Operational disruptions
• Climate uncertainty
• Investor concerns

A facility may consume relatively modest volumes of water but still face significant risks if it operates within a stressed watershed or rapidly growing region.

This broader perspective is causing operators and investors to rethink traditional site selection frameworks.

Community Opposition Is Becoming a Major Factor
Public attitudes toward data centers are evolving.

Historically, data centers were viewed as attractive economic development projects because they created jobs, generated tax revenue, and supported local investment.

Today, communities are paying closer attention to environmental impacts, particularly water use.

In regions experiencing drought conditions or water shortages, residents increasingly question whether scarce freshwater resources should be allocated to industrial facilities. The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure has intensified these discussions.

Whether concerns are based on direct consumption, indirect resource use, or broader environmental impacts, public perception is becoming an important component of project success. Developers that fail to address these concerns may face delays, legal challenges, or reputational risks.

*Arizona: A Case Study in Resource Tension
*
Arizona has emerged as one of North America's fastest-growing data center markets due to its favorable business environment, connectivity, and land availability.

However, the state also faces significant long-term water challenges.
As digital infrastructure investment accelerates, policymakers and local communities are increasingly evaluating how future development could affect regional water security.

Arizona demonstrates a growing reality facing developers worldwide:
The most attractive locations for data center investment are not always the most sustainable locations for long-term water availability.
Future projects will require careful evaluation of both energy and water resources before investment decisions are made.

*Why Water Economics Are Changing
*
Historically, water costs represented a relatively small portion of data center operating expenses.

As a result, water often received less attention than electricity pricing.
However, the true financial risk is not the cost of water itself—it is the risk of losing access to water.

Potential consequences include:

• Reduced operational efficiency
• Increased cooling expenses
• Delayed expansion projects
• Additional capital investments
• Regulatory restrictions
• Lower asset valuations

Just as the industry shifted from focusing on electricity prices to prioritizing electricity availability, a similar transition is occurring with water resources.

Availability is becoming more important than cost.

*Investors Are Paying Closer Attention
*
Institutional investors are increasingly incorporating environmental resilience into infrastructure investment decisions.

Data centers are long-term assets expected to generate returns over several decades. Investors therefore need confidence that critical resources will remain available throughout the life of a facility.
Water availability is becoming an important consideration during:
• Investment due diligence
• Risk assessment
• Infrastructure valuation
• Sustainability reviews
• Climate resilience analysis

Projects with strong long-term water security may gain a competitive advantage when seeking financing and institutional investment.

*Technology Can Reduce Water Risk
*
The industry is responding through innovation, particularly in data center cooling technologies designed to improve efficiency and reduce dependence on freshwater resources.

Several technologies are helping reduce freshwater dependence:
• Direct-to-chip liquid cooling
• Immersion cooling
• Closed-loop cooling systems
• Heat recovery technologies
• Reclaimed water systems
• Wastewater recycling infrastructure

These solutions improve efficiency and reduce water intensity. However, technological improvements alone are unlikely to eliminate water-related challenges as global demand for AI infrastructure continues to rise.
Water Will Influence Future Data Center Geography
One of the most significant long-term implications of water risk is its potential influence on where future facilities are built.

Traditionally, developers prioritized:
• Low-cost land
• Reliable power
• Strong connectivity
• Tax incentives

Increasingly, water security is joining this list.

Future site selection models are expected to incorporate the following:
• Climate projections
• Watershed resilience assessments
• Groundwater sustainability analysis
• Water pricing forecasts
• Community impact studies
• Regulatory risk evaluations
• Water replenishment opportunities
Regions capable of providing both energy security and water security may attract a larger share of future infrastructure investment.

**Conclusion:
**The data center industry spent the last decade learning that electricity availability cannot be taken for granted. The next decade may deliver a similar lesson regarding water.

As AI workloads continue expanding and cooling requirements increase, water is becoming a strategic infrastructure resource rather than a simple operational utility. The increasing deployment of hyperscale data centers is amplifying demand for both electricity and water, making resource management a critical consideration during site selection.

Developers, investors, and operators that integrate water resilience into site selection decisions today will be better positioned to manage future risks, secure community support, and maintain long-term operational stability.

In the emerging era of AI-driven infrastructure, the most successful data center projects may be those that secure not only power, but also sustainable access to water.

Demystifying Water Usage of Data Centers

Nikitha Valike — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:51:52 +0000

Every online search, video stream, AI prompt, cloud backup, digital payment, and social media interaction depends on a vast network of data centers operating around the clock. These facilities have become the backbone of the digital economy, storing, processing, and transmitting the data that powers modern life.

While discussions around data centers often focus on electricity consumption and carbon emissions, a less visible but equally important issue is water usage. Water plays a critical role in keeping servers cool and maintaining operational reliability.

Why Data Centers Need Water
At their core, data centers are large collections of servers and networking equipment that generate significant amounts of heat. Cooling systems such as evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers, and chilled-water systems rely on water because it is highly effective at absorbing and transferring heat.

The AI Boom and Rising Water Consumption
The emergence of generative AI has dramatically increased concerns about data center water usage. Training and operating large AI models requires enormous computing resources. Estimates indicate that AI model training can consume hundreds of millions of liters of water, while ongoing inference workloads account for the majority of AI-related energy consumption.

Data Centers Are Growing at an Unprecedented Scale
Global data center capacity is expanding rapidly due to cloud computing, AI applications, and increasing digitalization. As facilities become larger and more powerful, their demand for both electricity and water increases, making the Global Data Center Liquid Cooling Market increasingly important for improving operational efficiency and supporting sustainable data center growth.

How Much Water Do Data Centers Actually Use?
Major technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have established water stewardship goals. Google aims to replenish more freshwater than it consumes, Microsoft targets becoming water positive, and Amazon continues investing in water-efficient infrastructure.

The Local Impact: When Digital Growth Meets Water Scarcity
Water consumption impacts vary significantly depending on local climate, facility design, and cooling technologies. In water-stressed regions, data center development has intensified discussions about sustainable resource management.

Why Water Concerns Are Increasing
Key drivers include AI workload growth, accelerating data center construction, climate change, and greater public awareness of the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure.

How Technology Is Reducing Data Center Water Consumption
Although data center water consumption has attracted growing attention, the industry is simultaneously undergoing a major transformation aimed at reducing its dependence on freshwater resources.

Operators increasingly recognize that water efficiency is not only an environmental responsibility but also a business necessity in a world where water scarcity is becoming more common.

One of the most significant developments is the adoption of advanced cooling technologies. Traditional cooling towers rely on evaporation to remove heat, which can consume substantial volumes of water. Newer approaches, including closed-loop cooling systems, recycle water repeatedly within the facility, significantly reducing overall consumption.

Some operators are also implementing direct-to-chip liquid cooling, which delivers coolant directly to high-performance processors. Because heat is removed more efficiently at the source, these systems can lower both energy and water requirements.

Another promising innovation is the use of waterless or near-waterless cooling technologies. Several next-generation data centers are increasingly utilizing air-cooled systems, hybrid cooling architectures, and immersion cooling solutions in which servers are submerged in specially engineered dielectric fluids.

These systems can dramatically reduce freshwater demand while supporting the high-density computing workloads required by artificial intelligence applications.

The startup ecosystem is also driving innovation. Emerging companies are developing smart cooling platforms that use artificial intelligence and real-time monitoring to optimize cooling performance based on weather conditions, workload intensity, and facility requirements.

Others are exploring wastewater reuse, rainwater harvesting, and alternative water sources that reduce reliance on municipal drinking water supplies.

Major technology companies have also established ambitious water stewardship programs. Google has committed to replenishing more water than it consumes by 2030, Microsoft aims to become water positive by 2030, and Amazon Web Services continues to invest in water-efficient infrastructure and replenishment projects.

These initiatives reflect a broader shift within the industry toward measuring, managing, and reducing water impacts across the entire lifecycle of data center operations.

As AI and cloud computing continue to expand, the future of sustainable data center operations will depend not only on reducing energy consumption but also on improving water efficiency.

Encouragingly, many of the technologies needed to achieve these goals are already being deployed at scale, demonstrating that innovation can play a central role in balancing digital growth with environmental stewardship.

What Are Companies Doing to Reduce Water Consumption?
Leading technology companies are increasingly recognizing water as a strategic sustainability issue. Recently, Google has expanded water stewardship programs and invested in watershed restoration projects.

Microsoft has adopted water-positive commitments and is exploring technologies that reduce reliance on freshwater. Amazon Web Services continues to improve water-use efficiency and support replenishment initiatives in water-stressed areas.

Site selection is another important strategy. Increasingly, developers are evaluating water availability alongside power availability, land costs, and connectivity when choosing locations for new facilities.

The growing importance of water availability is reflected in industry assessments that now consider water resources as a factor in data center market competitiveness.

Many organizations are also improving transparency by publicly reporting water-use effectiveness metrics and disclosing annual water consumption figures.

The Need for Better Governance and Transparency
As data center capacity expands globally, water management is increasingly being incorporated into infrastructure planning, sustainability reporting, and regulatory frameworks. AI infrastructure decisions are also water governance decisions because they influence how local resources are allocated and managed.

Improved transparency is particularly important. Communities often struggle to understand how much water a facility will consume, how withdrawals may affect local resources, and what mitigation measures are being implemented. Standardized reporting frameworks could help stakeholders compare facilities and assess environmental impacts more effectively.

Water considerations should also be integrated into environmental impact assessments, permitting processes, and long-term infrastructure planning.

As AI and cloud computing become increasingly essential to economic development, balancing technological progress with resource sustainability will require careful coordination among governments, utilities, operators, and communities

Balancing Digital Innovation with Water Sustainability
Data centers are indispensable to modern society. They support communication, commerce, healthcare, education, entertainment, scientific research, and the rapidly expanding field of artificial intelligence. Yet the digital world is not immaterial. Behind every online interaction lies physical infrastructure that consumes electricity, land, materials, and water.

The growing scale of digital infrastructure highlights an important reality: technological innovation and environmental stewardship must advance together. As data centers continue to support AI, cloud computing, and digital transformation, improving resource efficiency has become a central focus for the industry.

While technological improvements are helping reduce water intensity, overall consumption continues to rise as AI adoption, cloud computing, and data generation accelerate.

The challenge is not to stop digital progress but to ensure that it occurs within environmental limits. Greater transparency, improved cooling technologies, responsible site selection, water replenishment initiatives, and stronger governance frameworks can help align digital growth with sustainable water management.

As society embraces the next wave of AI-driven transformation, understanding the water behind the cloud will become increasingly important. The future of digital infrastructure will depend not only on computing power and connectivity but also on the industry's ability to improve water efficiency, deploy innovative cooling technologies, and manage resources responsibly.

While water use remains an important consideration, ongoing advances in cooling systems, water stewardship, and infrastructure design demonstrate that digital growth and environmental sustainability can progress together.

Top 5 Largest Data Center Projects in Hong Kong: Market Overview & Key Developments (2026)

Nikitha Valike — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:56:27 +0000

Hong Kong continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia's leading digital infrastructure hubs. The city's strategic location, international connectivity, and growing integration with the Greater Bay Area are driving significant investments in hyperscale and AI-ready data center infrastructure.

As cloud adoption, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing requirements increase, developers are investing in larger and more sophisticated facilities capable of supporting next-generation digital workloads. Several major projects currently under development or expansion are expected to transform Hong Kong's data center landscape over the coming years.

*Top 5 Largest Data Center Projects in Hong Kong
*
*1. Range Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster
*
Developer: Range Intelligent Computing Technology Group
Location: Sandy Ridge, Northern Metropolis
Status: Under Construction
The Range Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster is expected to become the largest data center development in Hong Kong. Located near the Hong Kong–Shenzhen border, the project represents a major step in Hong Kong's ambition to become a regional center for AI computing and digital infrastructure.
Key Project Details
• Land Area: Approximately 116,000 square meters
• Gross Floor Area: Around 250,000 square meters
• Planned IT Capacity: 240 MW
• Target Computing Capability: 180 ExaFLOPS by 2032
• Estimated Investment: HKD 23.8 billion
• Construction Start: March 2026
• Initial Delivery: Expected from late 2028
The facility is designed to support hyperscale cloud operators, AI applications, and enterprise computing workloads. Its location within the Northern Metropolis is expected to strengthen connectivity between Hong Kong and mainland China while supporting regional digital growth.

**2. SUNeVision MEGA IDC (Phases 1 & 2)
**Developer: SUNeVision Holdings
Location: Tseung Kwan O
Status: Phase 1 Operational; Phase 2 Under Construction
SUNeVision's MEGA IDC platform remains one of the most important components of Hong Kong's digital infrastructure ecosystem. The ongoing expansion is designed to accommodate increasing demand for cloud services, enterprise colocation, and AI workloads.

The project benefits from its location in Tseung Kwan O, a well-established hyperscale data center hub with strong power and telecommunications connectivity. The expansion will further increase Hong Kong's ability to support large-scale digital services and cloud deployments.

**3. Goodman Tsuen Wan West Campus
**Developer: Goodman Group
Location: Tsuen Wan West
Status: Operational
The Goodman Tsuen Wan West Campus is among the most significant operational hyperscale facilities in Hong Kong. Developed to meet growing demand from hyperscale cloud providers and enterprise customers, the campus offers modern infrastructure and scalable capacity for future expansion.
The facility also hosts major digital infrastructure tenants and continues to play an important role in supporting Hong Kong's data center market growth.

**4. Global Switch Hong Kong
**Developer: Global Switch
Location: Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate
Status: Operational
Global Switch Hong Kong is one of the city's largest carrier-neutral data center facilities. The campus serves multinational corporations, cloud service providers, financial institutions, and technology companies requiring highly reliable digital infrastructure.
Its strategic location and extensive connectivity ecosystem make it a critical part of Hong Kong's role as an international data exchange and business hub.

**5. China Mobile Global Intelligence Center
**Developer: China Mobile International
Location: Fo Tan, Sha Tin
Status: Operational (Opened 2026)
The China Mobile Global Intelligence Center represents one of the newest additions to Hong Kong's digital infrastructure landscape. Opened in 2026, the facility is designed to support AI computing, cloud services, and international telecommunications operations.
The project strengthens China Mobile's regional infrastructure capabilities while supporting growing demand for advanced computing and data processing services throughout Asia.

**Emerging Data Center Developments
**In addition to the major projects above, several new developments are contributing to Hong Kong's expanding digital infrastructure market.
Notable projects include:
• Goodman Texaco Centre (HK10)
• SUNeVision MEGA Plus Phase III
• AirTrunk HKG2
• ESR Kwai Chung HK1 Phase 2
• Vantage HKG5 Expansion
• DayOne (GDS) Hong Kong Expansion
• BDx Data Centers Expansion
• Chinachem Group Data Center Development
• TPG Angelo Gordon Data Center Project
• NTT Global Data Centers Expansion
These developments demonstrate continued investor confidence in Hong Kong's long-term digital infrastructure potential.

**Market Drivers Supporting Growth
**Several factors continue to drive investment in Hong Kong's data center sector:
**Artificial Intelligence Adoption
**The rapid growth of AI applications is creating demand for high-density computing facilities capable of supporting advanced processing requirements.
**Cloud Computing Expansion
**Global cloud providers continue to expand their regional presence, increasing demand for scalable and reliable infrastructure.
**Greater Bay Area Integration
**Closer economic integration with Shenzhen and other Greater Bay Area cities is creating new opportunities for cross-border digital services and infrastructure investment.
**Strong Connectivity
**Hong Kong remains one of Asia's most connected telecommunications markets, making it an attractive location for international data traffic and cloud services.
**Government Support
**Infrastructure planning initiatives and technology-focused development strategies continue to support long-term growth within the sector.
**Challenges Facing the Market
**Despite strong growth prospects, Hong Kong's data center industry faces several challenges:
• Limited land availability
• Increasing power demand
• Rising operational costs
• Growing competition from regional markets
• Sustainability and energy efficiency requirements
Developers are increasingly focusing on innovative designs and efficient technologies to address these challenges while maintaining competitiveness.

**Market Outlook
**Hong Kong's data center sector is entering a period of significant transformation. Large-scale developments such as the Range Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster, continued expansion by SUNeVision and Goodman, and new investments from global operators are reshaping the market.

Traditional data center hubs such as Tseung Kwan O, Tsuen Wan, and Kwai Chung remain important growth centers, while the Northern Metropolis is emerging as a new destination for hyperscale and AI-focused infrastructure.

With strong connectivity, strategic geographic advantages, and growing demand for cloud and AI services, Hong Kong is expected to remain one of Asia's most important digital infrastructure markets throughout the coming decade.

This version is fully rewritten, publication-ready, and preserves the major project details, investment figures, capacities, market trends, and strategic insights from the source article.

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8 Key Facts About the Stargate AI Project

Nikitha Valike — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:38:47 +0000

The Stargate AI Project is a USD 500 billion initiative that aims to develop data center infrastructure for the next-generation artificial general intelligence (AGI). The primary equity funders for the Stargate project include SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX.

SoftBank and OpenAI are the leading partners, with SoftBank handling financial management and OpenAI overseeing operational responsibility for the Stargate AI project. This massive digital infrastructure project will power the foundational models, such as ChatGPT.

Furthermore, the OpenAI-led consortium is planning to develop AI data center infrastructure across the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Let’s take a detailed look at the project.

*8 Facts About the Stargate AI Project
*
The blog highlights the significant developments related to the Stargate project. Here are some of the essential facts you need to know about the Stargate Project.
**Stargate AI Project Announcement
**The Stargate AI Project is a private-sector-led initiative by OpenAI in partnership with SoftBank, Oracle, MGX, and other key technological partners, including global tech giants NVIDIA and Microsoft, among others.

Initially, the project was announced in January 2025 by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, highlighting a USD 500 billion Stargate commitment at the White House in Cooperation with U.S. President Donald Trump. It is part of a larger effort to boost investments in American Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure.

As part of the project, an initial investment of USD 100 billion is underway, starting with several campuses in Texas and other key areas that OpenAI is considering for its AI infrastructure project.

Together with Oracle, SoftBank, and other partners, OpenAI is transforming a USD 500 billion, 10-gigawatt commitment into large-scale physical infrastructure, creating jobs in communities across the country, and providing compute that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs.

OpenAI is also looking forward to expanding its project in other countries; one such partnership is underway for development in the UAE.

**Stargate AI Project Partners
**The initial equity funders of the Stargate AI project are SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX. SoftBank and OpenAI are the leading partners in the project. Masayoshi Son will be the chairman of the project. Arm, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and OpenAI are the key initial technology partners of the project.

Below is a detailed description of the individual partner’s role in the project.

**OpenAI
**OpenAI is a lead partner in the Stargate project, overseeing operational authority. OpenAI is responsible for site selection, planning, and management of advanced computing resources. Altogether, the company plays a major role in the development of Stargate. It will fund up to USD 15 billion for the project, emphasizing its commitment to the project’s success.

OpenAI will enhance its AI model training and inference capabilities massively, overcoming current bottlenecks in computational resources critical for advanced AI research and deployment, including steps toward artificial general intelligence (AGI).
**SoftBank:
**SoftBank is a primary equity investor and financial supporter. Masayoshi Son is the chairman. It is responsible for securing and managing the capital required for the USD 500 billion investment over four years, arranging an initial USD 100 billion immediately to kickstart construction and development.

It focuses on site acquisition, powered infrastructure deployment, and energy provision to ensure an efficient and sustainable power supply to Data Centers in locations such as Texas and Ohio.

SoftBank’s partnership with OpenAI is expected to create over 100,000 jobs around construction, operations, and supporting industries, contributing significantly to U.S. economic reindustrialization.
Oracle
Oracle is a key technology and infrastructure partner responsible for developing, managing, and operating the AI data center project. It prioritizes the construction and operation of large-scale AI Data Centers, including the flagship Stargate I site in Abilene, Texas. It is specifically designed to support advanced AI workloads and high-density GPU superclusters.

The data center operates on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), which provides highly scalable, cost-effective, and reliable cloud services optimized for AI training and inference tasks.
Oracle’s Partnership with OpenAI
In July 2025, OpenAI and Oracle entered an agreement to develop up to 4.5 gigawatts of additional Stargate capacity. It represents a partnership valued at over USD 300 billion between the two companies over the next five years.

The additional partnership with Oracle for the development of the Stargate AI project will increase the Stargate AI data center capacity to over 5 gigawatts, supporting more than 2 million chips.
MGX
MGX is a tech investment arm of the United Arab Emirates and also an equity funder and investor in the project. It contributes investment capital required for this massive AI Infrastructure project. Its commitment supports the overall USD 500 billion funding pool targeted for the four-year buildout of AI Data Centers and infrastructure across the United States.

As a sovereign wealth investment fund, MGX serves not only as a financial contributor but also helps position Stargate as a globally significant initiative securing capital beyond the U.S.

ARM Holdings
ARM Holdings serves as a technological partner in the project, providing expertise in chip architecture. It comes up with the foundational semiconductor architecture essential for powering the massive AI infrastructure being built. It strengthens its position in the AI technology ecosystem, facilitating the adoption of its IP in large-scale AI infrastructure.

Arm’s chip architecture assists as a central component of the AI compute platforms within the Stargate Data Centers, complementing Nvidia GPUs to deliver power-efficient, high-performance compute capabilities optimized for AI workloads.
Microsoft
Microsoft is a key technological partner, continuing its collaboration with OpenAI by increasing Azure compute consumption. It provides OpenAI with cloud infrastructure, primarily through its Azure platform.
Microsoft’s infrastructure enables the rapid development and deployment of advanced AI capabilities, reinforcing the U.S.'s leadership in AI technology and innovation.

By leveraging Microsoft's platform, the Stargate project contributes to reindustrialization, job creation, and national security by establishing a strong domestic AI technology base.
Microsoft’s Partnership With OpenAI
Through 2030, all key elements of the partnership between Microsoft & OpenAI will remain in place, including access to OpenAI’s IP, revenue-sharing arrangements, and exclusive access to OpenAI’s APIs.

Some of the key details of the partnership are as follows:

● Microsoft remains a major investor in OpenAI, providing funding and capacity to support its advancements, and in return, benefits from its growth in valuation.
● The OpenAI API is exclusive to Azure, runs on Azure, and is also available through the Azure OpenAI service. This agreement enables customers to benefit from access to leading models on Microsoft platforms and directly from OpenAI.
● Both companies have revenue-sharing commitments that ensure mutual benefits from both new and existing models.
● OpenAI made additional, large-scale commitments to Azure as part of Stargate, ensuring Azure remains central for model training and delivery, even as OpenAI collaborates with other partners for dedicated infrastructure.
Nvidia
Nvidia provides the critical AI hardware infrastructure necessary for training and running advanced AI models. It supplies powerful GPU processors, serving as the “muscle” behind large-scale AI computations required by OpenAI’s systems. It has committed to USD 100 billion in the Stargate project, reflecting its role in advancing AI capabilities.

By delivering the underlying GPU architecture, Nvidia accelerates efforts in artificial general intelligence (AGI), natural language processing, and other frontier areas of AI research, aligning with Stargate’s vision to create a transformative societal impact.
G42
G42 is a leading partner in the Stargate UAE project, a supreme AI computing cluster in Abu Dhabi. It is projected to become one of the most powerful AI infrastructure hubs outside the U.S., delivering 1 gigawatt of compute capacity in its initial phase, expected to be operational by 2026.

The project involves collaborations with OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, SoftBank, and Cisco, leveraging technology, cloud, hardware, and financial expertise to deliver advanced AI infrastructure.

AMD
AMD partners with OpenAI to supply high-performance GPUs for AI computations. It will install its GPUs to power AI Data Centers within the Stargate infrastructure, starting with a 1-gigawatt AI infrastructure rollout in 2026 and targeting up to 6 gigawatts over subsequent years.
These are optimized for large-scale AI training and inference, providing the computational power required to support OpenAI’s advanced models, including artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The partnership between OpenAI and AMD marks one of the largest AI chip supply deals in history, highlighting AMD’s growing influence in AI hardware and its role as a key technology partner in Stargate alongside Nvidia, Oracle, and Arm.
OpenAI's Joint Venture to Build 5 New AI Data Centers

On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank announced five new U.S. AI Data Center sites as part of the Stargate AI infrastructure project. The combined capacity of these five new sites, including Abilene, Texas, and ongoing projects with CoreWeave, will reach nearly 7 gigawatts of IT load and exceed USD 400 billion in investment over the next three years.

As a result, the project can achieve its full USD 500 billion, 10-gigawatt capacity commitment announced in January by the end of 2025, ahead of schedule.

The selection of these five new sites was made through a rigorous nationwide process launched in January. OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank reviewed over 300 proposals from more than 30 states.
It marks the early-stage selection, with additional U.S. sites to follow, as the project nears completion and exceeds the initial commitment to invest USD 500 billion in U.S. AI Infrastructure.

The three new sites located in Shackelford County, Texas; Doña Ana County, New Mexico; and a site in the Midwest, which we expect to announce soon, combined with an additional potential expansion of 600 megawatts near the flagship Stargate site in Abilene, Texas, can deliver up to 5.5 gigawatts of capacity.

Together, these sites are expected to create over 25,000 on-site jobs and tens of thousands of additional jobs nationwide.

The other two sites are located in Lordstown, Ohio, and in Milam County, Texas. These are to be developed by a partnership between SoftBank and OpenAI, scaling up to 1.5 gigawatts over the next 18 months.

The first site, located in Lordstown, Ohio, is on track to be operational by next year, as SoftBank has started work on an advanced data center design.

The second site is located in Milam County, Texas. It will be developed in partnership with SB Energy, a SoftBank Group company, which is providing powered infrastructure for a fast-build data center site.

Together, these sites represent a key step in enabling faster deployment, greater scalability, and improved cost efficiency, making high-performance computing more widely accessible.

Stargate AI Project Locations
The key Data Center locations of the Stargate AI Project are as follows:

• Abilene, Texas: The flagship Stargate campus with an operational data center.
• Shackelford County, Texas: Expansion site near Abilene planned under Oracle and OpenAI partnership.
• Milam County, Texas: A separate site led by SoftBank and OpenAI.
• Doña Ana County, New Mexico: Data center site linked to Project Jupiter.
• Lordstown, Ohio: A redevelopment of a former industrial complex being converted to a data center campus by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank.
• One additional site in the U.S. Midwest region, the exact location of which is not yet disclosed.

Details About the Texas Stargate Project
Below follows a detailed description of the Flagship Site in Abilene, Texas, along with its further expansion plans in Shackelford County and Milam County.

Abilene (Flagship Site)
• Abilene, Texas, is the first and key site under the USD 500 billion Stargate project, launched by OpenAI.
• The site is also sometimes called the "Lancium Clean Campus" or "Crusoe Abilene Campus," spanning approximately 1,000–1,100 acres.
• Currently, ten buildings are under construction, with plans to expand to 20.
• Power infrastructure already delivers nearly 200 MW, scaling toward 1.2 GW.
• The campus utilizes renewable energy and Lancium’s Smart Response technology to adjust power for grid optimization and decarbonization dynamically.
• The project is expected to generate significant local economic benefits, including thousands of jobs and increased spending in the Abilene area.

Shackelford County & Milam County Expansions
• OpenAI and Oracle are partnering for further development in Shackelford County, expanding the Abilene area operations.

• Milam County hosts a SoftBank-led Stargate data center campus, contributing to the growth of Texas.
• These projects are part of a broader goal to deliver 5.5 GW of new AI data center capacity in the U.S., with Texas serving as a crucial hub.
About The Stargate UAE Project
The Stargate UAE project, located in Abu Dhabi, positions the UAE as a key global hub for artificial intelligence. It aims to attract top AI companies, researchers, and innovators from around the world. It will create an AI computing cluster of up to 1 GW, with plans for 200 MW to be operational by the end of 2026.

The Data Center project will enhance AI capacity in the region and align the UAE’s interests with leading global AI networks. Furthermore, it improves the UAE’s international reputation for technological innovation and positions it as a neutral, forward-thinking partner in global tech diplomacy.

Partners involved in the Stargate UAE Project
• Primary partners include OpenAI (lead technology), Oracle (infrastructure), SoftBank (major funding), MGX (UAE-based equity investor), G42 (regional developer supported by Microsoft), Nvidia (AI hardware), Cisco (networking), and Crusoe for data center management.
• MGX, a tech investment firm founded by Mubadala and G42, represents significant UAE financial and strategic involvement in global AI infrastructure.
• Nvidia will supply advanced chips, the Grace Blackwell GB300 systems, specifically for Stargate UAE.
•
Stargate AI Project Investment
The Stargate AI Project is the most ambitious technology infrastructure investment project, with a total investment of USD 500 billion over the next four years. An immediate investment of USD 100 billion is being arranged, primarily for the construction of two major Data Centers in Abilene, Texas.

The full project cost is increasing as additional sites are built across the United States.
The investment is led by OpenAI (operations lead), SoftBank (financial lead), Oracle (infrastructure), MGX (a UAE-based fund), and other technology partners, including Microsoft, Nvidia, and ARM.

The goal is to install 10 gigawatts of AI data center capacity and reinforce allied technological infrastructure, making Stargate a keystone for AI training, deployment, and global competitiveness.

How will Stargate impact AI Development?
The Stargate AI Project will boost AI development by building the world’s largest data center networks, providing massive computational power for training and deploying advanced AI models.

• It will accelerate advancements in healthcare, research, and enterprise automation by making high-performance AI resources widely available.
• Furthermore, the project aims to lower computing costs, democratize access to AI, and support the development of next-generation AI, including artificial general intelligence (AGI).
• Utilizing the Stargate's infrastructure, we will be able to develop rapid vaccines, detect cancer earlier, and automate processes more efficiently across various industries.

*Conclusion
*
The Stargate AI project is a transformative project, positioning the U.S. as a global leader in AI Infrastructure through a USD 500 billion investment in cutting-edge Data Centers and computing capacity. It aims to boost AI Innovation, enabling advancements in industries like healthcare and national security, create over 100,000 jobs, and drive economic growth.

The Stargate AI Project is an ambitious initiative that represents a bold public-private partnership to develop Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) across the United States and other partnering countries.

It will not only impact the U.S. data center industry and its global leadership, but it will also secure the United States' future as an AI leader and OpenAI as a global infrastructure developer, diminishing boundaries for AI.

*Track the Latest Data Center Projects in the United States
*
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Top 7 Largest Wind Farm Projects by Ørsted 2026

Nikitha Valike — Thu, 28 May 2026 06:36:39 +0000

Ørsted is the largest wind farm developing company in the world with 10.2 GW installed capacity across 15 farms, with another 8.1 GW under construction. The company has spent three decades scaling from the 4.95 MW world’s first offshore wind farm - Vindeby pilot to a global portfolio that now powers over 10 million homes.

Largest upcoming Ørsted windfarms include Hornsea 3 in the UK, Baltica 2 and Baltica 3 in Poland, Sunrise Wind in New York, and Greater Changhua 2b and 4 in Taiwan, joined by Borkum Riffgrund 3 in Germany and Revolution Wind in the US, rounding out a set of developments that demonstrate Ørsted’s reach across Europe, North America and Asia.

The article provides a concise look at each wind farm’s scale, location, and progress, based on the most recent updates from 2026.

*List of Top 7 Largest Upcoming Wind Farm Projects by Ørsted
*
*Hornsea 3:
*
Hornsea 3 is set to become one of the largest offshore wind projects in the world ever built by Orsted, delivering clean electricity for more than three million UK homes. The 2.9 GW project covers 696 square kilometres in the Hornsea zone and uses up to 231 Siemens Gamesa 14 MW turbines.

Construction began in 2023, and completion is targeted for the end of 2027. Ørsted will manage the project from its operations hub in Grimsby and will also run the associated 300 MW battery storage facility at Swardeston.

Apollo Global Management agreed in November 2025 to acquire a 50 percent stake, while Ørsted will continue to lead construction under a full-scope EPC contract. The company will also handle long-term operations, maintenance, balancing services, and market access for the power the project produces.

Hornsea 3 sits 160 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast, close to the operational Hornsea 1 and 2 sites. Once Hornsea 3 comes online, the zone will exceed 5 GW of capacity, the largest operating offshore wind cluster in the world. Ørsted took the final investment decision (FID) on Hornsea 3 on November 19–20, 2025, confirming the world's single largest offshore wind farm will proceed to full construction.

*Baltica 2
*
Baltica 2 is Poland’s largest offshore wind project under construction and forms the first phase of the Baltica Offshore Wind Farm complex developed by PGE Group and Ørsted. The 1498 MW site will generate enough clean power for about 2.4 million consumers and sits roughly 40 kilometres off the coast between Choczewo and Ustka.

Baltica 2 has a 25-year inflation-protected contract for difference (CfD) in place with Poland, and the layout includes 107 turbines rated at 14 MW each, supported by monopile foundations across an area of about 190 square kilometres. Four offshore substations and subsea export cables will move the electricity to the onshore grid connection at Osieki Lęborskie.

The European Union’s largest offshore wind farm to date continues to progress, including the first monopiles rolling off the production line in September 2025 and seabed preparation by the BOKA Falcon later that year, ahead of cable installation. The onshore substation and cable network will deliver power into the Polish Power System once commissioning begins in 2027.

An operations and maintenance base is taking shape in Ustka and is scheduled to open in 2026 to support long-term monitoring, vessel staging, and component storage. In January 2025, the project obtained PLN 11.1 billion (approximately EUR 2.6 billion) in loans from 24 Polish and international financial institutions, including the European Investment Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

*Baltica 3
*
Baltica 3 is the first stage of the Baltica offshore wind complex and will deliver about 1045 MW of clean power from the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. Ørsted and PGE are developing the project as a 50:50 joint venture and have secured key permits, including environmental and location approvals. The project also holds a contract for difference, which provides revenue stability for its investors. Developers expect the wind farm to begin supplying power in 2026 and will be fully operational by 2029.

Baltica 3 forms part of Poland’s move toward large-scale offshore wind and will come online a year before the larger Baltica 2 phase. The two projects together will create one of the biggest offshore wind complexes in the region. Preparatory work has advanced steadily as the partners move toward full construction. Once operational, the project will strengthen Poland’s long-term renewable energy capacity.

*Sunrise Wind
*
Sunrise Wind is a 924 MW offshore wind farm under construction off the coast of New York and is set to become Ørsted’s largest project in the US. The site sits about 30 miles from Montauk Point and will use 84 Siemens Gamesa 8 MW turbines. Developers expect the wind farm to supply enough clean power for nearly 600,000 homes when it enters operation in 2027.

The project will also be the first US offshore wind farm to use high-voltage direct current transmission, which improves efficiency by reducing energy losses. The development has moved steadily through major milestones, including the installation of its offshore substation in September 2025. Ørsted, world’s largest offshore wind developer, leads the project and estimates it will create at least 800 construction jobs and support long-term investment in local manufacturing and workforce training.

Sunrise Wind secured its offtake agreement with NYSERDA in 2024 and fits into New York’s plan to build a carbon-free grid by 2040. The project is expected to operate until 2052 and contributes to the state's goal of reaching 9 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035.
Greater Changhua 2b & 4

Greater Changhua 2b and 4 are Ørsted’s next major offshore wind projects in Taiwan and will add 920 MW of capacity to the country’s growing offshore wind sector. The two sites sit 35 to 60 kilometres off Changhua County in waters up to 44 metres deep and cover an area of 185 square kilometres.

They will host 66 Siemens Gamesa 14 MW turbines, and the first units began generating power in mid-2025 after installation work started earlier that year. All suction bucket jacket foundations are already in place, and turbine installation is scheduled to finish by the end of 2025.

The projects reached a final investment decision in 2023 and secured a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement with TSMC, which will take the full output once the wind farms are fully connected in 2026. They sit next to the operational Greater Changhua 1 and 2a projects, extending Ørsted’s large cluster in the region.

Early milestones, including onshore substation work and offshore construction, have progressed on time. Once completed, the wind farms will support Taiwan’s broader push to expand renewable energy and strengthen its offshore wind supply chain.

They sit next to the operational Greater Changhua 1 and 2a projects, extending Ørsted’s large cluster in the region. Commissioning of Greater Changhua 2b is now expected in the third quarter of 2026 after a damaged cable delayed the schedule.

*Borkum Riffgrund 3
*
Borkum Riffgrund 3 is set to become Germany’s largest offshore wind farm, delivering 913 MW of clean power from the North Sea. The project lies about 110 kilometres northwest of Borkum and uses 83 Siemens Gamesa 11 MW direct-drive turbines.

Ørsted and Glennmont Partners from Nuveen Infrastructure each hold a 50 percent stake and built the project without subsidies, supported by long-term power purchase agreements with companies including Amazon, BASF, and Covestro. The final turbine was installed in early 2025, and the wind farm will have the capacity to power more than 900,000 homes once fully online.

Development followed a structured timeline that began with Ørsted securing rights in 2019 and reaching a final investment decision in 2021. Turbine manufacturing and foundation works progressed through 2023, and offshore installation started in 2024.

TenneT fully energized the DolWin5 HVDC grid connection in October 2025, clearing the way for commissioning in 2026. Borkum Riffgrund 3 builds on Ørsted’s earlier projects in the region and shares infrastructure with the nearby Gode Wind 3.
Revolution Wind

Revolution Wind is a 704 MW offshore wind farm, one of the biggest in the US, taking shape 15 nautical miles off Rhode Island and built to supply clean electricity to both Rhode Island and Connecticut. The project will use 65 turbines and is expected to power more than 350,000 homes once fully operational.

Construction is about 80 percent complete, with 45 turbines already installed. Owners Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables expect the wind farm to enter service in the second half of 2026. Work at the site continued after a temporary stop-work order in August 2025 was lifted by a court injunction the following month. Offshore installation resumed soon after, keeping the project on track for late-2026 commissioning.

Conclusion

Ørsted’s 2025 pipeline shows a company moving into its next era of global offshore wind leadership, backed by more than 20 GW in development and new technologies such as low-noise Osonic monopile installation and high-efficiency transmission systems to reduce costs and environmental impacts.

Projects like Hornsea 3, Sunrise Wind, and Greater Changhua 2b and 4 will add gigawatts of clean electricity to grids that are under pressure to decarbonize, while subsidy-free agreements and improved installation methods strengthen long-term competitiveness.

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Philippines Upcoming Data Centers 2026 – Key Projects & Infrastructure Growth

Nikitha Valike — Tue, 26 May 2026 04:29:41 +0000

The Philippines is rapidly emerging as a major digital infrastructure hub in Southeast Asia. Rising demand for cloud computing, AI workloads, enterprise digital transformation, and hyperscale infrastructure is accelerating investments in large-scale data center developments across Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Tarlac, and Aurora.

The latest developments are expected to boost regional economic growth, with opportunities in IT services, cybersecurity, infrastructure maintenance, fiber network operations, engineering, and construction across the Philippines.

*Major companies driving these developments include:
*
• ST Telemedia Global Data Centres
• PLDT Inc.
• VITRO
• FLOW Digital Infrastructure
• AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp.

The country is seeing strong investments in:

• AI-ready infrastructure
• Carrier-neutral facilities
• Liquid-cooling readiness
• Energy-efficient operations
• Scalable hyperscale campuses

*Major Upcoming Data Centers in the Philippines
*

*1. Narra Technology Park – Tarlac
*
*Project Highlights
*
• Location: New Clark City
• Developer: ENDECGROUP & Narra Technology Park Development Inc.
• Planned Capacity: 300 MW
• Estimated Investment: USD 2.7 Billion
• Target Operations: Q4 2026
• Energy Source: 100% Clean Energy

The Narra Technology Park is expected to become one of the largest hyperscale data center developments in the Philippines. The project will be developed in three phases of 100 MW each and aims to attract hyperscalers, cloud providers, and enterprise IT operators.

*Key Infrastructure Advantages
*
• Strategic location near Metro Manila
• Access to Clark International Airport
• Large land availability for expansion
• Smart-city ecosystem within New Clark City

*2. STT Fairview Data Center Campus
*
*Project Highlights
*
• Location: Quezon City, Metro Manila
• Total Campus Capacity: 124 MW
• Campus Size: 83,000 sqm GFA
• Operator: STT GDC Philippines
• Design Standard: TIA-942 Rated-3 / Tier III

The STT Fairview campus is among the largest carrier-neutral hyperscale-ready facilities in the Philippines and is designed for enterprises, hyperscalers, and AI-driven workloads.

*STT Fairview 1 Features
*
• 24,918 sqm facility area
• 28 MW IT load
• PUE below 1.4
• Liquid cooling readiness
• AI-ready infrastructure

Additional Expansion

The campus will also include:
• STT Fairview 2
• STT Fairview 3
• STT Fairview 4
Each planned with approximately 32 MW capacity.

*3. PLDT Cavite Data Center
*
Project Highlights
• Location: General Trias, Cavite
• Developer: PLDT Inc. / VITRO
• Initial Capacity: 100 MW
• Expansion Potential: 500 MW
• Construction Start: Expected in 2026

The project will begin with an initial 20 MW rollout and expand in phases depending on market demand. The facility aligns with increasing cloud adoption and hyperscale requirements in the Philippines.

This development further strengthens Cavite’s position as a growing digital infrastructure corridor south of Metro Manila.

*4. STT Cavite 2 Data Center
*
Project Highlights
• Location: General Trias, Calabarzon
• Capacity: 6 MW
• Facility Size: 4,500 sqm
• Type: Carrier-neutral facility
The facility is designed to support enterprise growth and includes direct connectivity to STT Makati, one of the country’s interconnected digital hubs.

*Infrastructure Features
*
• Tier III design
• Carrier-neutral connectivity
• Strong interconnection ecosystem
• Enterprise-ready scalable infrastructure

*5. ML1 Laguna Data Center
*
Project Highlights
• Location: Binan City, Laguna
• Developers: FLOW Digital Infrastructure & AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp.
• Initial Capacity: 6 MW
• Expansion Target: 36 MW
The ML1 project is a carrier-neutral hyperscale-ready campus aimed at supporting:
• Cloud providers
• AI companies
• Enterprises
• Digital service operators
The project also received support through government-backed investment incentives and Green Lane approvals from the Board of Investments.

*Aurora Ecozone – Emerging Data Center Hub
*
The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is working to attract additional digital infrastructure investments outside Metro Manila.

*Key Drivers
*
• Fiber-optic connectivity
• Available land for expansion
• Lower congestion compared to Metro Manila
• Energy-linked infrastructure
Several upcoming data center projects are expected to be announced in Aurora Province.

*Key Market Trends
*
The Philippines data center market is increasingly focused on:
• Hyperscale expansion
• AI-ready infrastructure
• Carrier-neutral ecosystems
• Energy efficiency
• Fiber connectivity
• Sustainable operations
• Liquid-cooling support

Industry analysts expect these developments to:

• Strengthen the Philippines’ regional digital position
• Support AI and cloud growth
• Create skilled jobs
• Accelerate regional economic development

*Track the Philippines’ Data Center Opportunities with Confidence
*
As the Philippines accelerates its expansion in hyperscale, AI-ready, and cloud-focused digital infrastructure, staying updated on upcoming data centers in the Philippines is essential to remain competitive in Southeast Asia’s rapidly evolving market.

Looking for reliable, real-time insights into data center projects across the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region?

Unlock powerful market intelligence with Blackridge Research’s Global Project Tracking (GPT) Platform, your trusted solution to track data center projects across every stage:
• Upcoming Projects
• Tender Announcements
• Contract Awards
• Projects Under Construction
• Completed Developments
From major hyperscale campuses in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, and New Clark City to emerging AI-ready and carrier-neutral infrastructure developments across the Philippines, get early access to verified project intelligence and discover new business opportunities.

Top Data Centers in North Carolina 2026

Nikitha Valike — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:09:05 +0000

Data centers in North Carolina are extensively contributing to positioning the state as one of the United States' evolving data center hubs. The state’s data center market is expanding with massive upcoming data center projects, such as Digital Realty’s Charlotte Data Center Campus and Amazon’s massive data center complex in the Research Triangle.

Supported by large-scale investments, the region is attracting major players like Microsoft, Google, and AWS, who are collectively investing billions in the state’s digital infrastructure. In this blog, we’ll explore the upcoming data center projects across North Carolina as of 2026.

*List of Top Upcoming Data Centers in North Carolina
*
*Amazon Data Center Complex:
*
The Amazon Data Center Complex developed by Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a massive multi-building hyperscale data center campus, which is expected to be one of AWS's largest campuses in the southeastern US. The data center broke ground on 31st October 2025 and is expected to have 20 buildings at full build-out, each building likely to span more than 200,000 sq. ft.

The data center will be located near the Sherwood H Smith Jr energy complex and a power plant with a capacity of 2.24 GW operated by Duke Energy.

The project is expected to receive tax breaks from Richmond County in the form of a 50% property tax reduction and a 65% personal property tax relief over 20 years. The full build-out is expected by 2027-2028.

*Digital Realty's 400 MW Charlotte Data Center Campus:
*
Digital Realty announced its plans for a massive 400 MW campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, back in April 2025. The company, through its subsidiary Digital Moores Chapel LLC, filed a rezoning request of 156 acres from I-2 (CD) (general industrial, conditional) to I-2 (CD) SPA (general industrial, conditional, site plan amendment) to allow for a data center development, which was reviewed and approved by the government of the City of Charlotte in May 2025.

The proposed site plan includes 3 million square feet (278,709 sqm) for telecommunications and data storage uses, built out over two phases. Building 1 is set to span 570,880 sq ft (53,036 sqm) per floor, while Building 2 would span 785,480 sq ft (72,973 sqm) per floor.
Both buildings together will deliver an IT load of 400 MW. The project is currently in planning, with construction expected to begin soon.

*ESS Tarboro Data Center Project:
*
In August 2025, ESS (Energy Storage Solutions), a subsidiary of North Carolina Renewable Energy, LLC, announced its plans to build a massive 300 MW data center and energy storage project in Tarboro, North Carolina. The company submitted an application to the Town of Tarboro in Edgecombe County. The project will feature more than 50 acres on the south side of Anaconda Road, between McNair Road and Western Boulevard.

The project is announced with an investment of USD 6.4 billion and will be built in eight phases and is a part of the ESS USD 19.2 billion investment. The Tarboro project will not be connected to the grid; instead, it will generate energy through a nearby natural gas transmission line situated 4,000 feet from the project site, which will store the energy generated using battery storage.

The Tarboro data center project will include three projects, with the first two being 25 MW data centers and the third being a 50 MW mobile data center. Plans for building a substation on-site are anticipated.

The local Piedmont Natural Gas Company will supply the required natural gas to meet the project needs. Another 115kV line intersects with this project that runs along the side of this property.

The local Tarboro Electric Substation is approximately one mile down, along with the existing 120MW ac/180MW dc Solar Project is approximately one mile in the opposite direction down the same transmission lines. Dominion Power has transmission lines of 230 kV and 115kV that will be connected to the project.

*Statesville Data Center:
*
The Statesville Data Center was proposed in October 2025 by the Statesville City Council, which will span 350 acres of land along Stamey Farm Road and Hickory Highway. The data center would consist of five data center buildings and a substation. Each data center building will span around 270,000 sq ft (25,083 sqm) of space. Each building will be equipped with an air cooling system to reduce water usage.

The power for the data center will be supplied from a substation belonging to Duke Energy located nearby, and Compass Datacentres has submitted an application for the site plan. The project is currently in the announced stage.

*Microsoft Catawba County Data Center Expansion:
*
Microsoft is constructing a USD 1 billion data center in Catawba County. The project was initially announced by Microsoft in 2022 with an investment of USD 1 billion for building four data center buildings. The project sites include Conover's Lyle Creek Campus, Project Agate, Hickory's Project Pine, Star Project and Stover data center, and Maiden's Project Yoga and Boyd farms.

The expansion began with the construction of Lyle Creek data center, with Hickory's two sites following in July 2024 and July 2025. The Lyle Creek data center, located in Conover on Highway 16, is under construction, which is expected to continue for 18-24 months.

*PowerHouse Charlotte Data Center:
*
PowerHouse Data Centers, a division of American Real Estate Partners (AREP), a U.S.-based data center developer, is developing the PowerHouse Charlotte. This data center is located on University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC. Spread across a 122-acre site, it is planned as five 2-story data center buildings with up to 1.5 million square feet.

The entitlements design was submitted in Q3 2024, its construction began in Q1 2025, and is expected to be completed by Q4 2027. The power delivery from the project is anticipated from Q2 2027 with a capacity of 300 MW, which can be expanded to 400 MW in the future.

*Kingsboro Net Zero Data Center Campus:
*
Energy Storage Solutions LLC is building the Kingsboro Net Zero Data Center Campus, with a capacity of 300 MW AC/1200MWh BESS energy generation and storage system.

The project will be built behind the meter and generate energy production via a natural gas "green" generation system, which will store the energy generated within a BESS (Energy Storage) system. The local Piedmont Natural Gas Company will supply the required natural gas to meet the project's needs.

Dominion Power has transmission lines of 115kV that will be connected to the project. The project will be built in 8 phases with an investment of USD 6.4 billion, which is part of the ESS USD 19.2 billion investment.

*Fayetteville Data Center Project:
*
Energy Storage Solutions is building the Fayetteville Data Center Project as a Net Zero Data Center Campus, with a capacity of 300 MW AC/1200MWh BESS energy generation and
storage system. The project will be built behind the meter and generate its energy production via a natural gas "green" generation system, which will store the energy generated within a BESS (Energy Storage) system.

The project will be built behind the meter and generate its energy production via a natural gas "green" generation system, which will store the energy generated within a BESS (Energy Storage) system. There exists a large natural gas transmission line that will be connected to the site, and the project will consist of four projects with 25 MW AC AI Data Centers, and four projects will be 50 MW AC Mobile Data Centers.

The local Piedmont Natural Gas Company will supply the required natural gas to meet the project needs. A 115kV line that intersects with this project site will also support the data center. The project is located off Dunn Road in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and will be powered by PWC (Fayetteville Utilities) also has a 69kV Line running along Dunn Road, and Duke Energy's 115kV and 230kV transmission lines adjoining this property. A large fibre Line running north-south along I-95 will also support the data center.

The PWC Electric Substation, approximately 2½ miles down, is also expected to support the data center with plans to build an on-site substation. The project will be built in 8 phases with an investment of USD 6.4 billion, which is a part of ESS's USD 19.2 billion investment in North Carolina.

*Conclusion:
*
Data Center Construction in North Carolina has seen a spike in recent years, driven by cloud and artificial intelligence providers. Major upcoming projects such as Amazon's Data Center Complex in Richmond County, Charlotte Data Center Campus, and Statesville Data Center show that North Carolina is a major growing hub for data centres in the US. With tech giants investing billions and regional infrastructure expanding rapidly, North Carolina is positioning itself as one of the country’s leading hubs for next-generation data centers.

Spot High-Value Data Center Projects & Capitalize on Emerging Opportunities:
Unlock United States data center opportunities! Introducing Blackridge Research's Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform:
● Instant access to the latest data center facility projects in the United States
● Comprehensive insights from planning to completion
● Essential details: scope, CapEx, timelines, and key contacts
● User-friendly interface for quick opportunity identification
Want more data center construction insights, including planned projects, active companies, and key decision-makers? Get started with our project tracker demo today.

Pennsylvania Data Center Outlook 2026

Nikitha Valike — Tue, 19 May 2026 07:02:34 +0000

Data centers in Pennsylvania are known for their regional-level connectivity ecosystem with major clusters in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions, making it one of the important data center markets in the United States after the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Several companies like Iron Mountain, Coreweave, Amazon, and PowerHouse Data Centers announced huge data center investments, boosting the state's digital infrastructure.

The state announced several upcoming data centers, such as Amazon's Pennsylvania AI Innovation Campuses, Pennsylvania Digital I (PAX), and CoreWeave Lancaster County Data Center.

In this blog, we have listed a few of the upcoming data centers in Pennsylvania.

*List of Top Upcoming Data Centers in Pennsylvania
*
*Amazon’s Pennsylvania AI Innovation Campuses:
*
In June 2025, Amazon announced a USD 20 billion investment in Pennsylvania to develop two data center sites in Pennsylvania. The two projects will be in Salem Township and Falls Township. Salem Township is adjacent to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant with a direct power connection, making it one of the key sites for the project.

The other will be in Fairless Hills at a logistics campus, the Keystone Trade Center, which was a former US Steel mill site powered by the public electricity grid. Multiple additional Pennsylvania communities are also under consideration.

*Pennsylvania Digital I (PAX):
*
The Pennsylvania Digital I is a 1.35 GW data center project announced by the joint venture of Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and PowerHouse Data Centers. The project is planned in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, covering a 700-acre site.

The Pennsylvania Digital data center will be supported by a 450 MW substation and will comprise three data center campuses with large-scale buildings. The first 300 MW capacity of the project is expected to be achieved by Q2 2027. The project cost is estimated to be USD 15 billion and is expected to generate over USD 65 million in direct tax revenue for local districts.

The campus will feature connectivity to 17 metropolitan fiber networks (including direct peering with Ashburn, Virginia), making it an AI/data-center hub.

*CoreWeave Lancaster County Data Center:
*
CoreWeave announced it is investing more than USD 6 billion in a new data center in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is planned as a hyperscale facility with 100 MW capacity, with plans to expand to 300 MW.

Chirisa Technology Parks, a division of Chirisa Investments, along with Machine Investment Group, intends to develop two data centers in Lancaster. The hyperscale facility will be built on a former site of the R.R. Donnelly Printing Plant.

Currently, the project is in the early stages of construction, and it will be leased to Coreweave. The first phase of the project is expected to be operational by Q1 of 2027. The Lancaster County data center is being built to support high-performance AI workloads.

*Project Gravity by Western Hospitality Partners:
*
Project Gravity is a multi-building data center site in Archbald. The data center is proposed in northeast Pennsylvania by Western Hospitality Partners. The campus would span 135,000 square feet per floor, suggesting 1.62 million sq ft of floor space across the whole campus. It will comprise six two-story buildings and seven data center buildings supported by two on-site substations.

Planning applications have been filed by Archbald 25 Developer LLC with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Archbald 25 Developer LLC is the operating name of Western Hospitality Partners.

The company signed a memorandum of purchase and sale agreement in October 2024 to buy a 186.21-acre parcel in Archbald from property owner Five Up Realty LLC, which bought the land from Louis and Dominick DeNaples’ Dunmore-based D&L Realty Company in May 2023 for USD 825,000.

*Air Products' data center campus in Pennsylvania:
*
In November 2025, Air Products announced its plans to develop a 2.6 million sq ft data center campus in Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County, outside Allentown.

It is a 194-acre data center project, also known as the Centronia Road Data Center, will include three buildings ranging from 435,600 sq ft to 1.23 million sq ft. The site is located along Hamilton Boulevard and Cetronia Road, which was Air Products' headquarters.

The company moved its headquarters to Mill Creek Road in 2021 and planned a warehouse complex with Prologis, which received approval in 2023. The land had multiple buildings operated by a specialty chemical company, Evonik, and a chemical & material testing company, Intertek, in 2024.

Recently, in 2025, Air Products requested Upper Macungie Township to update its rezoning laws and presented a proposal for a 2.6 million sq ft data center campus on that site.
Operational Data Centers in Pennsylvania:
● Pittsburgh data center
● Philadelphia data center
● H5 Valley Forge Data Center

Find the Latest Data Center Projects Across United States
Gain exclusive access to our industry-leading database of data center project opportunities with detailed project timelines and stakeholder information.

*Conclusion:
*
As Pennsylvania continues to boost its digital infrastructure through upcoming data centers like Amazon’s Pennsylvania AI Innovation Campuses, Pennsylvania Digital I, and the CoreWeave Lancaster County Data Center, the Pennsylvania data center market is repositioning itself as a major AI-infrastructure hub.

As new data center construction projects move through planning and approval supported by the local community in regions such as Cumberland County, Middlesex Township, and Northeastern Pennsylvania, the state is set to become one of the most strategically important data center infrastructure markets in the U.S.

*Discover Emerging Data Center Opportunities
*
Unlock United States Data Center Opportunities! Introducing Blackridge Research's Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform:

● Instant access to the latest Data Center Facility Projects in the United States
● Comprehensive insights from planning to completion
● Essential details: scope, CapEx, timelines, and key contacts
● User-friendly interface for quick opportunity identification

Want more data center construction insights, including planned projects, active companies, and key decision-makers? Get started with our project tracker demo today.

Upcoming Data Centers in Texas in 2026

Nikitha Valike — Mon, 18 May 2026 04:27:31 +0000

The United States is one of the largest single regions renowned for its connectivity and cloud technology; likewise, data centers in Texas play a significant role in boosting AI infrastructure in the US. Other major markets include financial hubs like New York and Chicago, as well as the tech hub of the Bay Area, which encompasses cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland.

According to Blackridge’s US data center market report, approximately 5,427 data centers are operational, with Texas accounting for around 302 of these. With the US having a total of data centers that outweigh the UK market by 5 times, in this blog, we have listed the largest data centers in Texas, ranked by capacity.

*Top 7 Upcoming Data Centers in Texas 2026:
*
Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus:
The Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus is an 11 GW data center being developed by the Texas University System and Fermi America. This data center is located near Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle.

The Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus, Texas, spanning 5,800 acres, will include 18 million square feet of data centers and will be powered by natural gas, solar, wind, and clean nuclear energy. Fermi America will provide critical infrastructure for the project. The geotechnical work began in June 2025 and is expected to deliver its first 1 GW of power by the end of 2026.

The planned campus is located at the confluence of several of the nation's largest gas pipelines. The campus is close to Pantex, the nation's primary nuclear facility. Fermi submitted a federal application to build a nuclear power complex totaling four 1 GW Westinghouse AP1000 reactors. The construction is expected to start next year, with the first nuclear operations expected by 2032.

*Data City, Texas:
*
Data City is a 5 GW data center campus planned by Energy Abundance Development Corporation near Laredo, Texas. It will be the world’s largest behind-the-meter data center hub powered by 100% renewable energy.

It will be built on 50,000 acres, and the project will combine wind, solar, batteries, and dual-fuel gas turbines initially running on Texas-produced natural gas and later shifting to 100% green hydrogen sourced from a 2TWh Hydrogen City salt dome storage facility.

This project will be built in phases, with the first 300 MW capacity and 1 million sq ft of data center space, launching in 2026. In the remaining phases, the data center capacity will be expanded to 5 GW and over 15 million sq ft of leasable space.

This data center is designed to host large AI workloads and will include power-dense racking and a centralized cooling system optimized for direct-to-chip liquid cooling. The Data City will support NVIDIA's latest Blackwell and Rubin chip designs.

*OpenAI Stargate Campus:
*
OpenAI and Oracle are developing a 4.5 GW data center in Abilene, Texas. It is developed by a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. The first Stargate facility, known as "Stargate I" or "Project Ludicrous". The first data hall at the Abilene site is under construction.
This project includes the deployment of Nvidia GB200 chips, which will be deployed in phases, with 16,000 due to be installed at the site.

The project land is owned by Lancium. The stargate will be located in Abilene, Texas, with further plans to expand it to other states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Wyoming, New Mexico, Georgia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The project will be built out over four years to develop five to ten campuses, each able to support 1 GW of capacity or more. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The project will bring the total Stargate infrastructure to 5 GW, supporting over 2 million AI chips. The estimated cost of this project is around USD 100 billion.

*Tract Caldwell County Park:
*
The Tract Caldwell County Park is a 2 GW data center technology park developed by Tract in Caldwell County. The project finished land acquisition on 7th May 2025, and is planned on a 1,515-acre land between Austin and San Antonio. The land acquisition includes an 18-month engagement with state agencies, local communities, and utility providers.

Tract has also executed a Facility Design Agreement with Blue Bonnet Electric Cooperative. This agreement includes a long lead equipment with a target energization date for the initial 360 MW, which will be operational in 2028.

Caldwell County was chosen for its strategic location, featuring access to power, fiber, and cloud computing infrastructure required for the project.

*Frontier (Vantage DC):
*
Frontier is a USD 25 billion data center project by Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data centers. This data center is planned with a capacity of 1.4 GW in Shackelford County, Texas. The state-of-the-art campus, “Frontier,” will lead to advancements in AI and employ more than 5,000 individuals across construction and ongoing operations.

This facility will be situated on 1,200 acres, and will be home to 10 data centers totaling 3.7 million square feet, and can accommodate ultra-high-density racks of 250kW+. Frontier will utilize liquid cooling to support next-generation GPU loads.

The construction on the campus has already begun, with the first building scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2026. The campus will use a closed-loop chiller system, which requires minimal water for cooling, saving billions of gallons of water annually. In addition, Vantage is pursuing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for the campus.

*San Antonio III – VII:
*
Streams San Antonio III is a 200 MW data center over 1.5 million square feet with an investment of USD 400 million. The first facility is currently under construction for 300,000 initial square feet of data center space. and an on-site 334 MW CPS substation, which is scheduled for occupancy in 2Q 2025.

The campus will include five new buildings supporting 200 MW capacity across 1.5 million data center square feet. Three buildings will have 120 MW capacity and will be available for tenant deployments. It will also feature on-site dual-fed breaker and a half CPS substation (334 MW) with 2N configuration for each building. Data halls will be designed to accommodate both air and liquid-cooled IT.

The data center is located on West Military Drive and Loop 1604, taking advantage of infrastructure design, enabling scalability, security, and uptime. The campus is scheduled for occupancy in Q2 2025.

*PowerHouse and Provident Hyperscale Data Center Campus:
*
This data center is being developed by Provident Data Centers (PDC), a division of Provident, in partnership with PowerHouse Data Centers (a division of American Real Estate Partners, AREP). This project is being developed on a 768-acre site at the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The campus has an IT capacity of 200 MW.

Once operational, it will be one of the largest planned data centers in Texas. It will have a 1.8 GW switchyard planned on site, and the first 500 MW tranche is already approved through ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas).
The campus will be built between Dallas and Fort Worth, in the core of the Metroplex, and will comprise 24 buildings planned in three phases. The first phase will be energized in May 2026. The joint venture has secured all the approvals and permits, for design and engineering are currently underway.

*Conclusion:
*
Texas continues to strengthen its position as a powerhouse for data centers driven by abundant renewable energy, strategic locations, and infrastructure. Upcoming hyperscale projects such as Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus near Amarillo and the OpenAI Stargate Campus in Abilene show the scale and ambition of the state’s next-generation facilities.
These upcoming data centers in Texas ensure support for the growing demands of AI, cloud computing, and high-performance workloads.
For investors, developers, and technology leaders, staying informed about these high-value opportunities is crucial.

Spot High-Value Data Center Projects & Capitalize on Emerging Opportunities:

Unlock United States data center opportunities! Introducing Blackridge Research's Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform:
● Instant access to India's latest Data Center Facility Projects
● Comprehensive insights from planning to completion
● Essential details: scope, CapEx, timelines, and key contacts
● User-friendly interface for quick opportunity identification

Want more data center construction insights, including planned projects, active companies, and key decision-makers? Get started with our project tracker demo today.

What is an AI Data Center? How much Power Does it Consume?

Nikitha Valike — Fri, 15 May 2026 06:34:51 +0000

An AI data center is a physical facility that houses the IT infrastructure required to handle the enormous workload generated when training, deploying, and delivering Artificial Intelligence services. The infrastructure required to cater to the needs of a large language model is different from that of other data centers.

In an AI data center, power consumption could reach up to 100 kW per rack, depending on the workload.

AI data centers use High-performance Computing (HPC), Graphic Processing Units (GPUs), Neural Processing Units (NPU), a powerful and secure networking system, NVMe SSDs (non-volatile memory express solid-state drives), Advanced cooling solutions, monitoring sensors (Ekko sensors for airflow, temperature, humidity), etc.

Let us now understand in detail about AI data centers.
Emergence of Artificial Intelligence Data Center
Solutions such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Search Engine, which are widely used in everyday life for quick information access, as well as social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and others, depend heavily on data center capacity infrastructure.

High-performance computing (HPC) is required to handle such massive amounts of data. In addition, AI data centers use a significant amount of power, with racks handling up to 50kW, which traditional data center operators can't provide.

Artificial Intelligence’s power is much more than we can comprehend. It is so powerful that 65-70% of the total time spent on data processing and collection can be automated with an ease that's beyond what is expected of user experience. This is one of the reasons why companies are actively switching to AI to make their tasks easier, thereby creating a surge in the number of AI data centers.

**Traditional Data Centers vs AI Data Centers
**Traditional data centers and AI (Artificial Intelligence) data centers are similar and dissimilar in several ways. They are similar in hardware requirements, and other data center infrastructure including servers, storage systems, cabling, and networking systems, to enhance efficiency, reliability, and security among their users.

The differences between AI data centers and traditional data centers are discussed below.

**AI Data Center Traditional Data Center
**High-density computing capabilities Not mandatory
Equipped with graphics processing units (GPUs) No graphics processing units (GPUs)
Designed to manage huge workloads Not able to handle huge workloads generated by AI
Designed for cloud, ML, and AI tasks Not usually designed for AI, ML, and cloud tasks

**How Much Power Does an AI Data Center Consume?
**AI data center power consumption varies greatly depending on size and type. According to research, global power demand from data centers will increase 50% by 2027 and by as much as 165% by the end of the decade (compared with 2023).

AI data centers work differently, resulting in higher energy consumption. To maximize computing power within a limited rack space, systems are being deployed in high-density configurations, resulting in increased power per rack and a higher energy demand per square meter. In AI data centers, racks can even reach up to 100 kW.

The International Energy Agency estimates that global data center electricity consumption in 2022 was 240-340 TWh, or around 1-1.3% of global final electricity demand.

IEA also projected that electricity demand from data centers, AI being the most significant driver of this increase, is set to more than double by 2030 to around 945 terawatt-hours (TWh), a bit more than the entire electricity consumption of Japan.

**Key Features of an AI Data Center
**An AI data center is far more advanced and is equipped with modern data center architecture and technology that enables operators to smoothly navigate through various servers and data loads with ease.

Some of the most prominent features of an AI data center are:
**High-Performance Computing (HPC)
**High-performance computing (HPC) capabilities lie at the core of AI and ML, enabled by AI accelerators—specialized chips designed to efficiently speed up AI workloads.

**What is a GPU? What is its role in the Computing Process?
**One of the most popular AI accelerators is the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), developed by Nvidia. GPUs offer parallel processing, breaking complex problems into smaller tasks that can be solved alongside other tasks.

Beyond GPUs, data centers are increasingly adopting specialized AI chips like Neural Processing Units (NPUs) and Tensor Processing Units (TPUs).

**What is NPU?
**NPUs mimic human brain neural pathways, offering enhanced real-time AI processing, while TPUs are custom-built to accelerate tensor computations, providing high output and low latency.

Selecting the right technologies is crucial for organizations to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Advanced, Resilient, and Secure Networking Infrastructure
AI data center networking infrastructure requires low-latency networking to meet the demands of AI applications that are ever-increasing in every millisecond.

Hyperscale data centers require massive bandwidth, often reaching terabits per second. While traditional data center networking cannot bear this load and catch-up to the time constraints.

AI data centers use different network technologies, including InfiniBand, RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE), and Scheduled Ethernet, comparing their costs, performance, and operational complexities. Among this, Enhanced Ethernet (ROCE) offers cost-effectiveness and high-performance for all AI workloads.

Modern AI data centers also use network virtualization, enabling software-defined networks that optimize compute, storage, and networking resources without physical changes. For AI, advanced network virtualization ensures better scalability, performance, and security.

*Advanced Storage Infrastructure
*
AI data centers demand readily scalable storage to meet the unprecedented, rapidly expanding computational workload of modern AI data centers.
NVMe SSDs (Non-Volatile Memory Express solid-state drives), built on NAND (a type of non-volatile memory) flash memory, are critical for these environments, offering the speed, programmability, and capacity needed for parallel processing and real-time data access.

**Role of High-bandwidth memory in Data Transfer (HBM)
**High-bandwidth memory (HBM) is also increasingly used in GPUs, accelerators, and few SSDs, enabling rapid data transfer with lower power consumption compared to traditional infrastructure.

To handle these unprecedented data surges, AI data centers often rely on cloud-based storage architectures with virtualization.
Adequate Power and Innovative Cooling Solutions
Since AI data centers work nonstop all day, they require more than just traditional cooling equipment.

The air cooling does not perform efficiently for AI data centers, so alternative thermal management & energy management solutions can be used, including liquid cooling, immersion cooling, air cooling (for lower-density setups), high power density, and heat reuse (waste‑heat recovery for district heating).

Liquid cooling also improves the data center's Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), which is an important data center energy efficiency metrics used to identify and optimize power usage of the data center.

Many of the data centers have hybrid cooling options to make their operations more sustainable and efficient.

In addition, adequate power generation and backups are required for powering the cooling systems throughout the year. Some of the data centres, like those operated by Apple, run on fully renewable energy sources. Even a few hours of downtime can cost millions to operators and decrease their authenticity among users.

Power back-up solutions provided by various companies like IBM, Schneider Electric, Vertiv, ABB, and others can be efficient for AI data centers and also help in reducing downtime and unanticipated system failures.

**5 Most Trending AI Data Center Infrastructure Providers
**Companies Solutions provided Year of Establishment
Cisco Cisco AgenticOps, Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches, Cisco Smart Switches with DPUs 1984
Schneider Electric AlphaStruxure energy, Galaxy-3 phase UPS, Aveva Unified Operation Center, Uniflair Chillers 1836
NVIDIA NVIDIA vGPU, Multi-instance GPU, NVIDIA Tensor cores, NVIDIA NVLink™-C2C, NVIDIA HGX B300 integrated NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs, Spectrum™-X Ethernet, NVIDIA BlueField®-3 data processing units, NVIDIA Magnum IO™ software. 1993
HPE HPE GreenLake, HPE Ezmeral data fabric software, HPE Cray XD670 HPC- 1939, HPE after split - 2015
Intel Intel Qwen3, Core Ultra Processors, Core i9/i7/i5/i3, Xeon, Gaudi, Intel Tiber AI cloud, OpenVINO toolkit. 1968

**Hyperscale vs Colocation
**Building an AI data center can be quite expensive. To avoid building and maintaining an AI data center from scratch, organizations can access various options available in the market, such as hybrid cloud, renting space in hyperscale data centers, and opting for colocation for AI hardware.

Knowing about the key difference between hyperscale data centers and colocation data centers is essential. It is crucial to choose the right partner whom you can trust with your critical data.

Users can choose among the two most popular options to access AI data center facilities on rent, one is hyperscale data center, which are massive-scale data center facilities designed to handle huge amounts of workload. It carries more than 50,000 servers and spans over 10,000 sq.ft of area.

Another popular option is colocation, which are third-party rental facilities designed to access modern data center services on-demand.

Many big tech giants, such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure, lease bulk servers to further provide space to their customers on rent.

Colocation data centers offer great control over infrastructure placement, network path,s and hardware configurations that help organizations to fulfill their needs that may be expensive to achieve in public cloud facilities.

Moreover, colocation providers offer more fluid cost structures, making it feasible for organizations.

You can explore the top colocation providers to avail data center colocation facilities offered by some of the major tech giants and improve your operational efficiency by renting space on demand as per your requirements.

**The Future of AI Data Centers:
**The surge in the use of Artificial intelligence and machine learning in day-to-day life has majorly contributed to an increased demand for space and IT infrastructure required to train and deploy AI.
A strong shift towards nuclear energy sources has also been observed, in addition to renewable energy to cater the increasing energy requirements of AI data centers. Emerging technologies, such as neuromorphic computing, are continuously improving the operational efficiency of AI data centers.

**Where are the Latest AI Data Center Facilities Located?
**Are you seeking a platform that provides reliable, high-quality, and timely project insights for global data center facility projects?

Discover the Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform by Blackridge Research, designed to provide you with the most recent Global Data Center Facility Projects better and faster across various stages of development:
● Upcoming projects
● Tender notices
● Contract award announcement
● Projects in progress or under construction
● Successfully completed projects

Book a free demo to learn more about the Global Data Center Facility Projects database and how we can help you achieve your goals