Bloom puts number on Project Jupiter fuel-cell water use, leaves broader demand unanswered
Bloom Energy has disclosed that Project Jupiter's fuel-cell system will require approximately 167,000 gallons of water annually for long-term maintenance. However, the company, along with Oracle and BorderPlex Digital Assets, has not provided figures for the data center's initial cooling system fill, annual top-offs, or total non-potable water demand. This leaves several significant questions about the project's overall water use unanswered for the public.
Bloom Energy has revealed that the fuel-cell system designed to power Project Jupiter, a large data center planned for Doña Ana County, New Mexico, is expected to require about 167,000 gallons of water annually for long-term maintenance. This figure, disclosed by Bloom Energy's head of corporate communications, Katja Gagen, offers one of the clearest insights yet into the ongoing water consumption for this component, in addition to the previously noted 960,000 gallons for initial system startup.
Despite this disclosure, several broader questions regarding Project Jupiter's overall water demands remain unanswered by Bloom Energy, Oracle, and BorderPlex Digital Assets. Organ Mountain News sought information on the initial water volume required to fill the data center's closed-loop cooling system, the amount of annual makeup water needed, and the total non-potable water usage once the campus is fully operational. The companies also did not clarify the circumstances under which the cooling loop might need draining or refilling, nor the projected source for all startup, maintenance, and makeup water.
Project developers have previously emphasized that the data center will utilize a closed-loop cooling system designed for water recycling to minimize consumption during daily operations, with Oracle stating that it would require no added water apart from rare top-offs. However, the lack of comprehensive figures for the initial fill, evaporation losses, maintenance, and potential repairs means the public still lacks a complete understanding of the project's total water footprint. Bloom's recent estimate provides only one piece of a larger, still incomplete picture.