It’s highly unlikely a hyperscale data center will ever be built in the City of Ann Arbor. But more rural areas should be working to prepare for their possible arrival.
Ann Arbor Planning Commission member Sarah Mills is also the Director of the Center for EmPowering Communities. It’s a program at the University of Michigan’s Graham Sustainability Institute. She has been traveling around the state helping communities prepare for such centers.
Mills says the lack of available space makes Ann Arbor a bad fit for a major data center.
“Among the reasons that data centers are horizontal, not just because it’s cheaper, but they have to have a lot of skin into the world to dissipate that heat.”
For more rural areas, Mills says it’s important to get ahead of the game. She says they need to evaluate their industrial zones, consider quality of life issues when setting policies, and ensure all agreements with the developers are in writing.
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