The region's first planned net-zero and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data centre project in Oxagon, the industrial cluster of Saudi gigaproject Neom, will have an initial capacity of 300MW.  The first phase of the data centre facility, which local data centre developer DataVolt will own and operate, is expected to begin operations in 2028. Over time, the data centre’s total capacity is expected to reach 1.5GW, supporting anticipated local and global demand. It added that the projected output will place the kingdom among a "select group of countries boasting operational capacities of 1GW or more, comparable to those in the US, China, Japan, Australia and India". The project is estimated to require an investment of several billion dollars. The initial 300MW facility’s modular design will ensure scalability to meet future demand in terms of information technology infrastructure, rack power density and cooling systems, said Oxagon. The DataVolt facility will be located on a 350,000 square-metre area and will ultimately be powered by renewable energy, primarily from solar and wind sources within the Neom region. The current plan entails deploying large-scale battery storage for system stability and gas turbines for redundancy, "enabling up to 48 hours of autonomous operation with green hydrogen fuel, if needed.  These energy solutions will enable the facility to meet the enormous power demands of AI workloads with Tier 3 levels of redundancy and availability while maintaining net-zero emissions during operations. Founded in 2023, DataVolt has previously announced a plan to invest $5bn in developing data centres in Saudi Arabia, without specifying potential locations. DataVolt is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi public-private partnership-focused developer and investor Vision Invest.  Data centres currently consume 1%-1.3% of global electricity demand. Advancements in generative AI mean that power consumption is expected to grow exponentially in the next decade.   For registration as a supplier: https://www.neom.com/en-us/our-business/suppliers (ICE RIYADH)

Fonte notizia: Meed