Latest news with #ProjectBlue
Business Wire
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Beale Infrastructure Cancels Reclaimed Water System Expansion Plans for Tucson
TUCSON, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Data centers are the physical backbone of the digital world. The people of Southern Arizona rely on this infrastructure daily to check emails, perform critical health and municipal services, enable remote work, stream media and to organize community events. Beale Infrastructure was founded based on the belief that data centers can and should be designed sustainably working in close partnership with communities, and Beale's mission is to push the industry forward to enable a responsible and inclusive digital infrastructure future. Beale was invited by the City of Tucson to engage in a public-private partnership for the sustainable development of data centers called 'Project Blue.' The city expressed enthusiasm for the transformative impact of Beale's proposed investments to substantially expand reclaimed water infrastructure and invest an initial $3.6B of economic impact and job creation in Tucson's economically disadvantaged southeast area which has been earmarked for industrial development. On May 30, 2025, it was publicly communicated by the City that the concepts for Project Blue strike the appropriate balance for significant economic development without risking the region's water security. Project Blue concepts have been developed in close partnership with the City of Tucson, engineers at Tucson Water, and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) to maximize principles for sustainable data center design, responsible water use and the pursuit of carbon-free energy resources. At full potential buildout, the concept plans for Project Blue entailed use of a small portion of Tucson's reclaimed water portfolio, which Beale committed to replenish drop-for-drop via investments to develop new water sources, fund PFAS remediation projects, remedy system leaks and other initiatives to be enforced by way of a development agreement. Beale participated in a series of open information-sharing sessions to engage with the community and answer questions about Project Blue. On August 6, 2025, the City Council voted to discontinue engagement on the proposed annexation, resulting in the cancellation of Beale's plans for reclaimed water system expansions. Beale supports and actively seeks community feedback for all potential developments and respects the community's input on the proposed use and replenishment from Tucson's water system. Alternative cooling designs have not yet been prioritized for Project Blue based on the City's feedback and desire to see reclaimed water infrastructure expansions, but they are a viable path for data centers to operate in the region with minimal water use. We continue to believe there is a win-win solution to bring this record-breaking investment to Tucson. 'We are disappointed in the decision not to pursue this opportunity for Tucson. We partnered closely with municipal engineering teams and Tucson Water to develop plans directly compatible with Tucson's Climate Action and Adaptation and One Water plans,' stated Brendan Gallagher, Senior Vice President of Development. 'We see it as a missed opportunity for the city, as this project potentially represents tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue, hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure to serve the community, and thousands of high-paying local and union jobs.' Beale thanks the supporters who are engaged on this opportunity, and we will continue to engage with the Tucson community on the dialogue around sustainable data center development standards and the role these projects can play advancing Southern Arizona's economic and technological future. Beale is evaluating community partnerships, clean energy strategies and digital infrastructure investment opportunities throughout the United States, and we look forward to sharing more announcements soon.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Amazon's 'Project Blue' Rejected Amid Water Fears
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Tucson City Council in Arizona has unanimously voted to reject Amazon's Project Blue data center. At a meeting on Wednesday, council members voted 7-0 to block the project, citing strong public opposition and concerns about the high water use. Newsweek has contacted the council and Amazon for comment via emails sent outside regular business hours. Why It Matters Project Blue was billed as an investment that could generate $250 million in tax revenue and create 3,000 temporary construction jobs and up to 180 permanent jobs, according to the Tucson Sentinel, which cited the developers. But critics argued the environmental costs far outweighed the benefits. Demand for data centers has surged with the rise of cloud computing and artificial intelligence. While advocates say they generate strong tax revenue for local governments and require a huge number of construction jobs to build, critics say the centers themselves employ relatively few people. And some communities have pushed back over concerns about the environmental and social impact. In an aerial view, an Amazon Web Services data center is shown situated near single-family homes on July 17, 2024 in Stone Ridge, Virginia. In an aerial view, an Amazon Web Services data center is shown situated near single-family homes on July 17, 2024 in Stone Ridge, To Know Government officials and representatives of developers had refused to confirm Amazon was behind Project Blue, citing the requirements of nondisclosure agreements. But Councilmember Rocque Perez mentioned Amazon by name during Wednesday's meeting, the Sentinel reported. Pima County supervisors had approved the sale of 290 acres of land for the project, according to local station KGUN 9. But it needed approval to annex the site into city limits so that it could procure the huge amounts of water needed to cool the center's operations each day. The first two sites combined would have required almost 2,000 acre-feet of water each year, making them Tucson Water's biggest customer, the Sentinel reported. City officials said the project would become "net water positive" because developers would invest in projects to secure new water resources offset their water use. The project would use drinkable water for the first two years before switching to reclaimed water once a developer-funded pipeline is built. The project faced criticism at three public meetings in recent weeks, including two in-person meetings that attracted up to 1,000 residents. Many cited the high water use, saying data centers should not be built in Tucson's desert environment. What People Are Saying Ward 1 Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz said, per KGUN 9: "Construction jobs might come, but they'll leave as fast as they arrive. And the reality is, data centers require very few long term workers. This won't bring good, paying jobs, dignified jobs, the people actually need in this community. So let's talk about the basics, water and energy. Headline after headline, city after city, we've seen how these facilities drain power and water." Ward 4 Councilmember Nikki Lee said during Wednesday's meeting: "Project Blue represents a lot of things to a lot of people right now, more than just the data center and the project itself. It's a distrust in government. It's a distrust in corporations. It's a very large distrust in tech companies, a distrust in technology and privacy in general, and a fear of artificial intelligence and how fast things are moving and how little control we have." The No Desert Data Center Coalition, which opposed Project Blue, said in a statement: "The rejection of Project Blue by Tucson City Council is a huge victory for our desert community and would not have happened without thousands of Tucsonans coming out to vehemently oppose it. We thank the Mayor and Council for standing strong and not folding to Beale's intimidation tactics and greenwashing propaganda. Tucson made the right decision to halt Amazon's harmful data center in its tracks and protect our water, air and a liveable climate. We will remain vigilant because we know big corporations like Amazon, Beale and TEP have a hard time taking no for an answer and we are committed to stopping any data center they try to force on us within our watershed." What's Next The vote ordered city staff to stop working with the project's developers. The city council also voted for the city continue to develop regulations for future data center proposals.
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Data centers could boost rising electricity costs
Electricity costs are rising nationwide, including in Arizona, and could get even higher for some amid the explosion in data centers powering AI and more. Why it matters: Surging power bills could further stress many Americans' budgets as pretty much everything else also gets more expensive. By the numbers: The nationwide average retail residential price for 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity rose from 16.41 cents to 17.47 cents from May 2024 to May 2025, per the latest available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a gain of about 6.5%. Some states had large increases, such as Maine (36.3%) and Connecticut (18.4%), while just five states had decreases. State of play: Arizona had one of the smallest electricity cost increases during that time, from 15.49 cents to 15.76 cents (1.7%). The intrigue: The Corporation Commission is preparing for the strain that data centers are expected to put on Arizona's energy grid. Possibilities include higher energy rates for data centers to pay for the extra infrastructure and power generation facilities they could necessitate, or allowing them to generate their own power. Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation this year that would've waived some environmental and zoning regulations to make it easier for large industrial power users like data centers to place small modular nuclear reactors at their facilities. Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project and Tucson Electric Power this year announced that they're exploring the possibility of building a nuclear plant. Zoom in: There are several plans for massive new data centers in Arizona, including a 3,330-square-foot, $33 billion "data center corridor" in Eloy, which would be among the largest in the U.S. Project Blue, a proposed data center in Tucson, has faced public backlash over concerns about energy and water use. Zoom out: Electricity prices vary regionally and have many influences, including basic supply and demand, fuel rates and infrastructure costs. Yet many analysts point to power-hungry data centers as a driver of rising rates, especially in data center hotspots. That's partly because of data centers' immediate demand for energy, but also because grid operators are investing in new transmission lines and other gear to handle their expected proliferation — and passing those costs along to customers.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Construction planning climbs again on core sector momentum
This story was originally published on Construction Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Construction Dive newsletter. Signs of life are returning to planning desks across the country, as momentum builds behind large-scale projects and complex builds, according to Dodge Construction Network. The Dodge Momentum Index, which tracks nonresidential projects entering the planning stage and leads actual spending by a full year, jumped 6.8% in June. Commercial planning climbed 7.3%, while institutional planning increased 5.7%, according to the report. 'Nonresidential planning steadily improved in June, alongside strength in warehouse, recreational, and data center planning,' said Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting at Dodge Construction Network. 'Planning momentum in other key sectors, like education, hotels, and retail stores, was more subdued.' Slower activity in those sectors is likely tied to caution around the economic outlook, said Martin. Weaker consumer spending expectations and uncertainty over project financing have caused developers to tap the brakes on new entries in those categories, she added. For example, a Pittsfield, Massachusetts-based construction company recently laid off nearly half of its workers due to delays on two major construction contracts. Yale University, among other higher education institutions, also paused 10 construction projects due to uncertainty around federal funding. Warehouse activity gained meaningful traction in June, and data center planning remained elevated, according to the report. On the institutional side, large recreational projects helped drive gains, while healthcare-related planning also continued to accelerate, according to Dodge. Despite some sector slowdowns, planning activity remains far above last year's weak June levels. The overall index jumped 20% year over year, with institutional planning up 46% and commercial planning up 11%. Even excluding all data center projects from 2023 through 2025, commercial planning would still be up 12% over the past year, and the overall index would have increased 23%, according to Dodge. A total of 40 projects valued at $100 million or more entered the planning phase in June, according to Dodge. Major commercial projects included: The $500 million Meadow Brook Technology Park data center campus in Middletown, Virginia. Phase 3 of the $300 million Project Blue data center in Tucson, Arizona. The $300 million Data City data center in Laredo, Texas. The largest institutional projects to enter planning included: The $340 million Cleveland Clinic Avon campus expansion in Avon, Ohio. The $150 million McKinney Amphitheatre Building in McKinney, Texas. The $135 million Harold Simmons West Overlook Park Buildings in Dallas. Recommended Reading Contractors say data center demand still growing, despite bubble fears Errore nel recupero dei dati Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati
New Straits Times
19-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Antimony shortage after China's export curbs leaves battery makers sweating
When China restricts exports of a key mineral, sometimes the pain is sudden and even crippling — enough to spur a major outcry almost immediately. Other times, it takes longer to be felt. For the world's makers of lead-acid batteries, China's restrictions on critical mineral antimony that were put in place late last year have become a major headache — one that their customers also now have as sky-high procurement costs are passed on. "We consider it a national emergency," said Steve Christensen, executive director at the United States-based Responsible Battery Coalition, whose members include battery maker Clarios, Honda and FedEx. He noted the key role batteries played in industry and civilian life, how antimony was used in military equipment, as well as the surge in spot prices. Antimony now costs more than US$60,000 per tonne, having more than quadrupled over the past year. "There are no quick solutions... We were completely caught off guard collectively, as an industry," he said. China likely produced 60 per cent of all antimony supply in 2024, according to the US Geological Survey. Much of antimony mined in other countries is also sent to China for processing. Beijing added the mineral to its export control list last September, requiring companies to gain licences for each overseas antimony deal. It then followed up in December with an outright ban on shipments to the US — an action seen as retaliatory after Washington further restricted exports of advanced semiconductors to Chinese companies. China's global exports of antimony are now just a third of levels seen this time last year. Christensen said US companies were hugely reliant on China for their supply of antimony and buyers were increasingly having to procure from an emerging "grey market", where sellers that had stocked up on the material were charging extremely high prices. China's restrictions on antimony precede its controls on rare earths and rare earth magnets that were imposed in response to US President Donald Trump's tariffs and do not appear to have been discussed in last week's efforts to stabilise a truce in trade tensions between the two countries. Last week's talks between China and the US also did not include any agreement on specialised rare earths such as samarium needed for military applications. Lead-acid batteries, commonly found in petrol-engine vehicles, are mostly used to start the engine and to power low-voltage instruments. They are also used as sources of backup power in various industries and to store excess energy generated by solar and wind systems. Antimony is also essential to military equipment such as night vision goggles, navigation systems and ammunition. Overall antimony demand is some 230,000 to 240,000 tonnes a year with lead-acid batteries accounting for about a third of that, according to consultancy Project Blue. While many battery makers may have access to antimony-lead alloy from recycled materials, Project Blue estimates they collectively need around 10,000 tonnes a year of higher purity antimony to top up the alloy to reach the right battery properties. Securing that additional portion could be challenging. Project Blue director Nils Backeberg said there was enough antimony outside China to satisfy non-Chinese demand but buyers needed to compete with Chinese purchasers such as the country's huge solar industry, and China's smelters were able to offer better terms. "With antimony prices at nearly five times normal market conditions, the cost becomes a factor and with supply limited on the Western market, a shortage is being felt," he said. For now, it seems that battery makers' antimony woes have not yet led to cuts in output. One source at an Indian battery maker said antimony represented only a small cost of a battery and price increases were being passed onto customers, but any more price rises could spell trouble. "If the price does increase further, everyone (in the industry) will be vulnerable," said the source. In a sign that profits are being affected, India's Exide Industries blamed high prices for antimony when it logged smaller-than-expected income for its fourth quarter. Christensen said policymakers should treat the issue as one of national security, arguing that Western countries had become "overly reliant on a single geopolitical adversary for minerals foundational to both national defence and civilian life".
