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Solar energy

Cheyenne-Based Zenith Volts Corporation Secures Approval for 1.25-GW Solar-Powered Data Center in New Mexico

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

New Mexico has been chosen by Zenith Volts Corporation (ZVC) for the construction of a 1.25-gigawatt solar-powered data center, 20 miles south of Roswell. The facility, built on an 8,500-acre site, will integrate solar natural gas generators, modular solar-thermal hybrid systems, battery energy storage, and geothermal cooling for optimal efficiency. The center will support over 600 server racks and computing modules, utilizing geothermal cooling to reduce energy use. ZVC has been working on gaining approval for the center in New Mexico for eight months, with the Chaves County Commission granting approval last Friday.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 1.25-gigawatt solar-powered data center will be built on an 8,500-acre site, 20 miles south of Roswell, New Mexico.
  • The facility will integrate on-site solar natural gas generators, modular solar-thermal hybrid systems, 250-acre battery energy storage, and geothermal cooling for optimal efficiency.
  • The center will support over 600 server racks and computing modules, utilizing geothermal cooling to reduce energy consumption.
  • ZVC chose New Mexico over Wyoming due to the abundance of solar energy resources and harsh weather conditions in Wyoming.
  • New Mexico is a popular location for solar data and energy centers, with approximately 9 million acres of land available to lease for renewable energy companies.
  • The Solar Energy Industries Association states that New Mexico is ranked 17th in the nation in the solar market, with enough solar installed to power 817,741 homes and solar making up 14.32% of the state's electricity.
  • The data center is expected to be fully operational by November 2027, creating approximately 140 full-time high-tech jobs.

Statistics:

  • 1.25-gigawatts: the capacity of the solar-powered data center
  • 8,500 acres: the site area for the data center
  • 600: the number of server racks and computing modules supported by the center
  • 20 miles: the distance of the data center from Roswell, New Mexico
  • 9 million acres: the amount of land available in New Mexico for renewable energy companies
  • 14.32%: the percentage of New Mexico's electricity generated by solar power
  • 2027: the expected completion year of the data center
  • 140: the number of full-time high-tech jobs created by the data center

Sources:

  • New Mexico Office of Renewable Energy
  • Solar Energy Industries Association website
  • Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne, Wyo.)
  • Tribune Content Agency, LLC
  • Cheyenne-based Zenith Volts Corporation news release

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