Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and other big, well-known technology companies are buying up dozens of acres of land in Ohio and announcing plans to build vast data centers.
It’s a trend that is spanning much of the United States, which has 3,093 data centers, according to the tracking website Data Center Map. But, the announcements, and subsequent buildings, are not in every corner of each state.
As more investment announcements — including some companies spending billions — are made in Ohio, here’s what you need to know about data centers in the Buckeye state and beyond:
What is a data center and what’s inside them?
Beyond the walls of a data center sit routers, servers, storage systems and more, according to the Data Center Coalition (DCC), a membership group. The technology’s purpose is to store critical information and internet applications to power websites and online storage, more commonly known to consumers as “the cloud,” according to DCC.
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To support all the digital infrastructure the centers include power subsystems, ventilation, cooling systems, fire suppression, backup generators and more.
Data centers allow for many everyday computer functions people use by storing information in an orderly and safe way. They allow for users to send photos to friends and family; stream shows on services like Netflix or HBO; take an online class through a local university; or access online banking and online medical records, according to DCC.
Why are there so many data centers in the United States and in Ohio?
In the last 15 years, data centers began to pop up as businesses stopped storing their data in smaller computer centers owned and operated by companies that weren’t focused on technology, according to DCC.
Instead, data storage became centralized — and more secure and efficient, according to DCC — leading to the proliferation of large data centers.
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It happened fast.
In 2010, almost 80% of data center computing was in smaller computer centers, according to DCC. But, by 2018, about 89% had switched to using the types of larger data centers that are common today.
How many data centers are in Ohio and in Columbus?
There are 173 data centers in Ohio, according to Data Center Map, which tracks and maps where data centers are across the country.
Those are in 13 locations across the Ohio. Columbus has the most data centers at 105, according to Data Center Map
Most areas just have one or two data centers, with the highest number of centers often located around major metropolitan areas. For instance, Cleveland is home to 24 data centers and Cincinnati has 22, according to Data Center Map.
Why are so many data centers being built in Ohio?
As demand and need for data centers grows across the nation, different regions and states have become more popular places to build than others, according to the trade publication POWERGRID International Newsletter.
Tax policies described as “friendly” and space to build the large facilities are what companies look for, according to the the publication. Ohio is one of 15 states responsible for 80% of national data center load in 2023, according to POWERGRID International.
Ohio has a data center sales tax exemption, cooperative utility companies and communities — like New Albany, which is home to companies like Microsoft, Google, Meta and Amazon announcing or owning data centers in the city — ready to host the companies building the centers, according to POWERGRID International.
How do Ohio’s data center numbers rank against other states?
Ohio has many, but not the most data centers of any state in the country.
Ohio has the fourth highest concentration of data centers in the U.S., with 173. By comparison, Virginia is home to 512 data centers, Texas has 298 and California has 287, according to Data Center Map.
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Right behind Ohio in its data center count is Illinoi, which has 156.
But, the Buckeye state has more data centers than it’s neighboring states Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana combined, according to POWERGRID International.
dking@dispatch.com
@DanaeKing
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