Creekstone Energy, University of Utah studying feasibility of novel water generation technology

Creekstone Energy, developer of the planned Delta Gigasite data center campus in Millard County, Utah, has announced a research partnership with the University of Utah to develop a novel water generation technology called GIGAWATER. This initiative comes as Utah faces severe drought conditions, and the technology aims to capture water vapor produced by natural gas combustion used for electricity generation, converting it into usable water.

Ray Conley, CEO of Creekstone Energy, explained that the patent-pending GIGAWATER technology will capture exhaust from engines and convert it. He emphasized that Utah should not have to choose between economic growth and responsible water stewardship, especially with the development of what is planned to be the world's largest data center campus.

To validate the concept, Creekstone Energy is fully funding a formal research agreement with the University of Utah's Energy and Geoscience Institute. The first phase of the review will test the core assumptions, chemistry, and thermodynamics of the system, with a second phase potentially involving a working pilot near the Delta site. Milind Deo, principal investigator at the institute, called the science promising and noted their commitment to rigorous, independent verification. Research results are expected next summer.

Creekstone's internal analysis projects the technology could yield approximately 4,000 acre-feet of water annually, potentially making the Delta Gigasite water-positive. While the collected water could be potable with filtration or used for agricultural applications, its ultimate use and ownership remain open questions, as Conley noted there is no legal precedent for such generated water.