(Credit: IP3)IP3 and Green Energy Partners are to jointly establish the Surry Green Energy Center in Virginia, using sustainable power sources in order to support the state’s energy needs.
The project includes a land acquisition for green data centers and future options to build hydrogen and nuclear energy production facilities. Since Virginia’s data centers process more than 70% of the world’s internet data, consuming about 25% of the state’s energy, the need for data storage and handling has become increasingly obvious. Most data centers in the state are also currently powered by carbon-based fuels, so the Surry Green Energy Center will use carbon-free energy and small-modular reactors (SMRs) on site.
“As we look to build on our dominance in energy-intensive industries like data centers and advanced computing and increase our leadership in emerging fields like advanced manufacturing, ag-tech, and biopharmaceuticals, we know that our grid must deliver power, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and it must deliver that power at a competitive price,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin in the Virginia Energy Plan.
The project will use a fleet of four to six SMRs to power 20 to 30 data centers and will also generate hydrogen fuel. The center will expand the state’s data center capacity and work to meet increasing power demands, also providing a backup for Virginia’s grid. Further, the center is expected to create over 3,000 new jobs in the area and boost the local economy.
The project is strategically located in Surry, Virginia, so it can supply digital infrastructure and adequate power supplies for government agencies and military bases from Washington, D.C., to Norfolk, Virginia.
Beyond the new project, Virginia has ramped up the state's decarbonization efforts through the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which aims to retire fossil-fuel power plants, expand solar and wind energy installations, and establish a statewide energy efficiency standard. The state said it is also the first in the South to participate in the regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, although Governor Youngkin recently made efforts to exit the 12-state program.
"The Commonwealth of Virginia has developed a purposeful plan for their energy future," said Michael Hewitt, co-founder and CEO of IP3. "They are ready to harness the smart energy transition to create jobs for Americans and set an example for developing clean industrial zones. Infrastructure investment needs to be radically reoriented. The combined expertise of GEP and IP3 will access private capital markets to help Virginia’s energy sector become a model for an era of American energy sovereignty."
