Musk’s Xai To Build Small Solar Farm Adjacent Colossus Data Center

Artificial intelligence startup xAI, founded by Elon Musk, told metropolis and region planners successful Memphis past week that it plans to build a star workplace adjacent to its Colossus information halfway — 1 of nan world’s largest accommodation for training AI models.

The task would inhabit 88 acres to nan westbound and southbound of nan information center. A 136-acre vacant batch owned by nan developer that besides owns nan Colossus spot presently borders nan site. Given nan projected size, nan star workplace would apt nutrient astir 30 megawatts of electricity, only astir 10% of nan information center’s estimated powerfulness use.

XAI has travel nether occurrence for operating complete 400 megawatts of earthy state turbines without permits, according to nan Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). The ineligible organization, which is moving pinch nan NAACP, says that xAI has operated astatine slightest 35 turbines tin of emitting much than 2,000 tons of NOX contamination — nitrogen oxide emissions that lend to smog and respiratory problems — annually.

The turbines person sparked fierce guidance from residents successful adjacent Boxtown, a predominantly Black organization wherever researchers astatine nan University of Tennessee, Knoxville, recovered that highest nitrogen dioxide attraction levels increased by 79% successful areas instantly surrounding nan information halfway aft xAI began operations. Community activists person reported accrued asthma attacks and respiratory issues since nan installation opened.

The AI institution has said that it intends to usage nan turbines until it tin unafraid further power, but section officials gave xAI a licence to operate 15 turbines done January 2027.

In September, xAI said it would build a 100-megawatt star farm nearby, which will beryllium paired pinch 100 megawatts of grid-scale batteries to supply a 24/7 root of electricity.

The institution hasn’t disclosed nan full costs of that project, but nan star farm’s developer, Seven States Power Company, was awarded $439 cardinal from nan U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of that, $414 cardinal is an interest-free loan.

The national grant is notable fixed that galore cleanable power grants and loans person been canceled by nan Environmental Protection Agency and nan Department of Energy nether nan Trump administration. 

Meanwhile, xAI has added state turbines successful Mississippi to powerfulness its Colossus 2 information center. So far, 59 of them are onsite, and nan institution considers 18 of them temporary, meaning that regulators don’t way their pollution.