Utah company develops plan to turn power-plant emissions into usable water
Utah-based Creekstone Energy has developed a "GIGAWATER" system to capture water produced during natural-gas combustion. This technology is being evaluated by University of Utah researchers for potential uses in agriculture and industrial applications, including data centers. The company also aims to build a large data center campus powered by its own natural-gas generation.
Utah-based Creekstone Energy has unveiled its "GIGAWATER" system, a technology designed to capture water produced during natural-gas combustion. CEO Ray Conley explained the process involves sending hot exhaust underground to cool against specially arranged rocks, causing condensation that is then collected and pumped out. The company has filed a patent for the system and is collaborating with University of Utah researchers, who will independently evaluate the process and publish their findings within the next year.
The captured water's suitability for various applications, including agriculture in the water-scarce Delta, Utah area, filtered industrial use, or even drinking water after treatment, will depend on its chemical composition. Conley stated that a full-capacity system, designed for 2 gigawatts of natural-gas generation, could produce over 4,000 acre-feet of water annually.
While the water capture project is distinct from data center cooling systems, Creekstone Energy's broader ambition is to construct the world's largest data-center campus, which would be powered entirely by its own natural-gas generation, rather than relying on the traditional electricity grid.