NREL campus near Golden ID’d as site for massive data center project

GOLDEN — National Renewable Energy Laboratory Campus Chosen for AI Data Center Development

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) campus in Golden as one of 16 sites nationwide to host private data centers for the advancement of artificial intelligence technology. This initiative aims to power the global AI arms race by providing more data storage capacity.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited NREL on Thursday to discuss plans for the agency and the partnership with private companies to develop data centers. The NREL campus has been identified as an ideal location for a 100-megawatt data center, with construction potentially starting this year.

The federal government is inviting private companies to lease federal land for data center development in a public-private partnership. This move aligns with President Trump’s executive order to streamline AI data center expansion in the U.S.

While the focus is on nuclear power for the data centers, the Energy Department is exploring various energy sources, including solar and wind. The goal is to accelerate AI infrastructure development while ensuring sustainable energy practices.

As the demand for data centers grows, Colorado is evaluating how to meet the electricity and water needs of these facilities. Data centers have raised concerns due to their significant energy and water consumption, but efforts are being made to address these challenges.

The collaboration between NREL and private developers aims to create a cutting-edge data center that will support AI innovation and contribute to the transformation of the U.S. data center industry.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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