Some data center companies are working to be 'good neighbors'
DataBank's Salt Lake 5 facility in Grantsville, Utah, is highlighted for its efforts to minimize environmental impact, including noise, energy use, and water consumption. The company utilizes a closed-loop cooling system to recycle water and manage energy consumption. This report addresses community concerns as data centers expand in Utah, comparing them to issues seen in northern Virginia.
A KSL News Utah report explored how some data center companies are working to be "good neighbors" amidst rising demand from artificial intelligence, which brings concerns about noise, energy use, taxes, water consumption, and heat generation. The report specifically featured DataBank's Salt Lake 5 location in Grantsville, Utah.
Jamin Eric, DataBank's chief operating officer, provided an inside look at their 23-acre campus, which consumes approximately 46 megawatts of power. Eric explained their use of a closed-loop cooling system that recycles a propylene mixture, avoiding the constant drawing of fresh water from local utilities. He noted that the amount of water recycled is equivalent to about three Olympic-sized swimming pools and that all six of their Utah data centers combined use seven times less water than a single golf course.
The system is designed not to require flushing unless contamination occurs, which DataBank states has not happened so far. Eric also addressed energy use, particularly for cooling fans during warmer months, stating that while the fans require power, it is not a substantial amount. He asserted that the noise from the coolers is contained within the facility, becoming inaudible by the time it reaches nearby neighborhoods.