Fairfax County’s first fuel cell data center proposed in Chantilly

T5 Data Centers plans to build a 312,000-square-foot data center on a 19-acre site in the Westfields International Center at Dulles, Chantilly, within Fairfax County, Virginia. The proposal, outlined in a letter from land use attorney Allison Reynolds, representing T5, details a facility that would primarily generate its own electricity using fuel cell technology powered by natural gas, rather than drawing heavily from the traditional electrical grid. The company would supplement power from the grid during high load periods and use diesel generators for backup. This marks the first time Fairfax County has evaluated a data center proposal incorporating on-site fuel cells for its primary energy needs. T5 is seeking clarification from the county regarding whether the proposed fuel cells are permissible under the site's current I-3, Light Intensity Industrial District zoning. According to a Goldman Sachs report, fuel cells convert natural gas to electricity without combustion, resulting in less pollution and noise compared to gas turbines. The fuel cells would be housed in a screened outdoor yard. County property records identify the site owner as TAG Land Westfield, an LLC registered in Delaware.