Google submits new air permit application for additional Fort Wayne data center generators
Google has submitted a new application to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to modify its air permit for its Fort Wayne data center. The modification seeks to add 228 emergency generators, intended for backup power and maintenance testing, adhering to existing air-quality standards. This is part of an ongoing expansion, following a previous permit approval for over 140 generators.
Google has filed another application with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to modify its air permit for an ongoing data center construction project in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The proposed modification involves adding 228 emergency generators to the facility.
A Google spokesperson stated that these generators would primarily provide backup power during outages and for required maintenance testing, and would not be used for normal operations. The company anticipates each generator will be tested for less than 10 hours per year, asserting that they will remain subject to existing air-quality regulations and that the facility's emissions will stay below permitted limits. Google also plans to install non-resettable hour meters on the generators to track operating time.
According to Google, some of the generators will incorporate additional pollution controls designed to meet or exceed EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. These backup generators will operate on ultra-low sulfur diesel or renewable fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), stored in integrated, double-walled tanks. This latest submission follows IDEM's approval in April of a previous air permit modification that allowed for more than 140 additional emergency generators at the site. The application details are available through IDEM's air permit database.