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Proposed Power Cap Would Cut Project Jupiter Data Center’s Permitted Emissions 35%
Projected greenhouse gas emissions would fall from about 8.8 million to 5.7 million tons a year with no change to the data center’s planned IT capacity, Oracle said.
Oracle and Yucca Growth Infrastructure (YGI) have proposed a limit on the power output of the fuel cell microgrid planned to supply the Project Jupiter data center. The limit would reduce the facility’s permitted emissions by about 35%, greenhouse gases included, Oracle said.
Announced Oct. 15, the plan would make an enforceable cap on the fuel cells’ operating output, measured in megawatts, a condition of the permit. YGI submitted the change to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) to supplement its air permit application, which is still pending.
Under the cap, projected emissions would drop about 35% for nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter and hazardous air pollutants, Oracle said. For greenhouse gases, the projected reduction would top 3 million tons a year.
Planned IT capacity for the data center would stay the same, Oracle said. No new pollutants or types of equipment would be added.
YGI developed the changes in reply to technical questions from NMED’s Air Quality Bureau and to public feedback, Oracle said. Oracle hopes a hearing on the design can be held promptly once NMED completes its technical review.
Separately, Oracle said it has pledged that Project Jupiter will reach 100% carbon-free energy matching by 2031. Its commitments also include reaching the goals of New Mexico’s Energy Transition Act before 2045. A public, independently verified dashboard is also planned to report on Project Jupiter’s environmental factors, including water use, air, noise, heat and light, once the site is operating, Oracle said.
