Gas-fired Microgrids to Power Data Centers at Heart of New VoltaGrid-Vantage Deal
Hyperscale developer and designer Vantage Data Centers will partner with on-site power generation supplier VoltaGrid on deploying more than a gigawatt of gas-fired microgrid power at new facilities across North America.
VoltaGrid’s natural gas-fired microgrids will be utilized to provide prime power for data center campuses in Vantage’s portfolio. The on-site power partnership will help Vantage accelerate its rollout of cloud-based and artificial intelligence (AI) training facilities.
The rise of AI globally is pushing a massive expansion of data center capacity in the U.S. Industry load commitments already are driving forecasts of up to 50 GW in new data center construction by the early 2030s.
“Cloud and AI technologies require the rapid development of additional data center infrastructure. The sector faces a major hurdle in securing timely power at scale,” said Dana Adams, president for North America at Vantage Data Centers, in a statement. “Partnering with VoltaGrid is an ideal solution to deploy capacity in constrained power markets to meet customer demand for new and innovative technologies that will bring social and economic benefits.”
VoltaGrid’s engineering and deployment expertise, according to Vantage Data Centers, will help speed up installation timetables. Natural gas-fired power does emit greenhouse gas, but only about half the carbon dioxide of utility-scale coal-fired plants, according to reports—which the companies contend will shorten permitting delays.
“VoltaGrid’s expertise in deploying scalable and reliable power systems aligns perfectly with Vantage’s mission to deliver world-class data center infrastructure,” said Nathan Ough, president & CEO of VoltaGrid. “Our ability to rapidly deploy scalable energy solutions will redefine industry expectations and provide AI hyperscalers with the means and confidence to continue to scale their operations.”
Surging demand for AI and data centers is lifting Vantage’s bottom line in keeping pace with data center growth. The company last year launched new campuses in Dublin, Zurich, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan and Ohio, which altogether total more than 900 MW in capacity.
Vantage Data Centers now has accounted for building out or starting 35 campuses globally with more than 2.6 GW in capacity. Last month, the company announced more than $13 billion in new debt and equity investments.
VoltaGrid recently announced its partnership with engine and gen-set maker Innio-Jenbacher to develop the QPac data center power platform. The high-pressure gas injection QPac systems are designed to generate up to 200 MW of prime power per customer facility.
Data centers are not the only economic sector seeking on-site power solutions through microgrid technologies. Late last year, oil and gas producer Diamondback Energy and oilfield services firm Halliburton signed a deal with VoltaGrid on providing power for four electric simul-frac generators and compressed natural gas infrastructure for microgrids to power Diamondback field operations.
The U.S. is now a leading producer of natural gas through directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing at shale plays, such as the Bakken, Woodford, Utica and Marcellus.
Earlier this year, integrated oil and gas giant Chevron announced it would partner with investor Engine No. 1 and gas-turbine manufacturer GE Vernova to scale up gas-fired power plants for new data centers.
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