Data center Frequently asked questions

A data center is a facility that houses computers and equipment used to store, process, and transmit digital information. Data centers are the physical infrastructure behind technologies people and organizations use every day, such as opening an app on your phone, snapping and saving a photo, or using AI tools. Local businesses, schools, hospitals, and government agencies rely on data centers for essential daily operations.

Not all land is suitable for a data center. Sites are selected based on access to available energy and fiber infrastructure, location outside wetlands and floodplains, and terrain that is flat.

The development process for a data center typically takes 4-6 years. During this period, Sonder Energy will make option payments to the landowner while completing the necessary studies and permits. The land can continue to be farmed or used as it currently is during that time. After all permits are received, purchase or lease options are exercised and construction will begin. It typically takes between 12-24 months to construct the project.
 

Data centers can significantly increase local tax revenues, helping fund essential services such as education, transportation, public safety, and health care. They also create stable, skilled employment opportunities, many not requiring a four-year degree, by supporting hundreds of construction jobs during development and long-term positions in trades like electrical, mechanical, and HVAC maintenance once operational.

Each data center site is uniquely designed. Most data center buildings resemble windowless warehouses and may be part of a larger campus with multiple buildings. Buildings typically include perimeter fencing and 24-hour exterior lighting for security. Vegetative buffers can be used to reduce visual impacts.

Energy use varies depending on the size and type of data center. Data centers require large amounts of electricity to support their information technology (IT) equipment, such as servers, networking hardware, and cooling systems, which run continuously to provide their services to customers. Data centers can use renewable energy to support its energy demands.

Sonder Energy supports policies to ensure data centers pay for their share of the electric infrastructure directly associated with serving them. Such policies are currently being implemented at the national, state, and utility-level. These payments support building new substations, transformers, and upgrades to the electric grid directly associated with data center operations.

Data centers use backup generators to maintain operations during rare power outages and emergencies. These generators are regulated and are typically powered by natural gas or other fossil fuels. Newer carbon-free backup options, such as battery storage systems, are becoming increasingly available.

Water use at data centers varies depending on location, climate, and cooling design. In many regions, data centers can use outside air for cooling for much of the year, significantly reducing water needs. When water-based cooling is used, operators typically coordinate with local utilities to ensure usage does not strain community supplies. Cooling systems are selected during the design phase based on local environmental conditions and available resources.

Data centers, like other industrial facilities, are subject to local government ordinances, which often establish noise limits. Additionally, unlike some warehouses, data centers do not generate constant truck traffic. Data centers periodically receive deliveries and employee traffic is typically spread across staggered shifts, minimizing congestion.