Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Net Zero Now Ltd. has announced the completion of environmental studies on its first energy campus in Alberta, a 320-acre site specifically selected to meet the infrastructure requirements and locational preferences of both electricity generation and data centres.
With data centres applying for 16,229MW of load capacity from the electricity grid in Alberta, and the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) imposing an interim large load connection limit of 1,200MW, Net Zero’s energy campus is solving the most critical constraint in Canada’s fastest-growing data center market: access to electricity where data centers want to operate.
“As the AESO’s large-load interconnection queue grew exponentially, we recognized the need for a fundamentally different approach to powering these large loads,” said Scott Martin, Head of Energy at Net Zero. “We’re giving hyperscale operators the ability to directly connect through a co-located energy campus, or contract with our energy campus virtually through the electricity grid in order to bring their own generation online and serve a pre-existing site.”
The 320-acre energy campus provides a speed-to-market and low-cost electricity supply solution that includes 400MW of base load electricity generation, power quality services, backup supply, and an accompanying data centre campus. In addition to the focus on achieving a net zero carbon emission electricity supply, Net Zero will deploy net zero building techniques to reduce the embodied and operational carbon footprint of its data centre structures which include: advanced insulation systems, sustainable materials, and energy-efficient construction practices.
“While Alberta is not currently ranked as a top-tier global data centre market, we expect that will change in the near future as investors and operators look at the favourable electricity cost, tax environment, and foreign exchange rate that comes with doing business in Alberta,” said Logan Downing, Head of Carbon Strategy at Net Zero. “Many data center operators are reluctant to enter a new market due to a lack of electricity supply, local contacts, or regulatory experience. We provide fully-permitted construction-ready energy campuses that enable speed-to-market, low-cost electricity supply, and a best-in-class carbon intensity to accelerate Alberta’s position in the rapidly growing AI industry.”
Net Zero’s energy campuses will bring more electricity supply online to help keep electricity costs low for all Albertans and Alberta-based businesses, while also contributing new property tax revenue and jobs to the communities. Net Zero is pleased to see how the Alberta government has positioned itself as an attractive location for data centers by creating a stable political environment, focusing on reducing red tape, and creating pathways to establish meaningful connections with the communities and First Nations. As a result, Net Zero is also evaluating additional strategic sites across Alberta to meet the growing electricity demand from data centre operators.
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Featured image credit: Net Zero Now
