Google's first Wyoming data centre will be supported by one of the world's largest planned fuel-cell installations, using natural gas and carbon capture to supply electricity for its expanding computing operations.

 

Google has confirmed a $17 billion investment in its first Wyoming data centre, including a 702MW Bloom Energy fuel-cell power project with planned carbon capture and underground CO₂ storage.

 

American Electric Power will invest approximately $4 billion in the fuel-cell facility under a 20-year electricity supply agreement with Google, with full operations targeted for the end of 2028.

 

Google has confirmed plans to invest $17 billion in its first data centre in Wyoming, with a 702MW fuel-cell installation supplied by Bloom Energy forming part of the site's electricity infrastructure.

 

The announcement, made on November 5, brings together Google, American Electric Power (AEP), Tallgrass Energy, Black Hills Energy and Related Digital to support the development in Laramie County, near Cheyenne.

 

Google said the fuel-cell installation will include carbon capture and storage, with the captured carbon dioxide intended for permanent underground storage at Tallgrass Energy's Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub.

 

The company describes the 702MW development as the largest planned commercial-scale fuel-cell project of its kind incorporating carbon capture.

 

AEP Investing $4 Billion in Bloom Fuel-Cell Project

 

AEP announced the 702MW power project on October 14, confirming an investment of approximately $4 billion and a 20-year power purchase agreement with Google.

 

The installation will be developed through Cheyenne Fuel Cell LLC, which is approximately 92% owned and controlled by AEP. Funds advised by Basalt Infrastructure Partners hold the remaining interest.

 

Bloom Energy will supply solid oxide fuel cells manufactured in the United States.

 

The systems will generate electricity from natural gas through an electrochemical process rather than conventional combustion.

 

Although Bloom's technology can operate on hydrogen, the Wyoming installation is planned to use natural gas. It should therefore not be described as a hydrogen-powered data centre.

 

AEP expects construction to begin in 2026, with the facility scheduled to reach full operation by the end of 2028.

 

Carbon Capture Planned for Fuel-Cell Emissions

 

Google intends to capture and permanently store a large majority of the carbon dioxide produced by the fuel-cell facility.

 

The captured CO₂ would be sent to Tallgrass Energy's Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub for geological storage.

 

 

Google said the project, together with another US carbon capture agreement announced in 2025, brings its contracted carbon capture capacity to nearly 1GW of associated power generation.

 

However, the Wyoming fuel-cell installation and its carbon capture equipment are not yet operating.

 

AEP has not publicly disclosed a guaranteed capture rate or the final carbon capture equipment configuration. The project's actual emissions performance will depend on the completed system, methane emissions from the natural gas supply chain and the effectiveness of CO₂ capture and storage.

 

Google is also conducting a front-end engineering and design study to examine whether carbon capture equipment could be installed on Tallgrass's combined-cycle natural gas turbines.

 

That study is separate from the already announced fuel-cell power agreement.

 

Additional Electricity From Black Hills and Tallgrass

 

The Bloom Energy fuel cells will provide one part of the electricity needed for Google's Wyoming development.

 

Additional power will come from natural gas generators operated by Tallgrass Energy and Black Hills Energy.

 

Black Hills previously announced agreements to provide electricity and manage a wider portfolio of generation resources for Google's planned data centre operations near Cheyenne.

 

Google says it will pay the full cost of the electricity it consumes and the infrastructure required directly because of its development.

 

The company also plans to use air cooling at the data centre to reduce water consumption.

 

Google expects the project to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in local property taxes for Laramie County and School District 1. It has also announced plans to support education, workforce development and technical training.

 

Google Confirms Project Already Announced by AEP

 

The November 5 announcement provides Google's formal confirmation of its $17 billion Wyoming investment and further details about the planned carbon capture arrangements.

 

The underlying 702MW fuel-cell agreement is not new. AEP disclosed the electricity supply contract and its $4 billion investment on October 14.

 

The new development is Google's confirmation of how the fuel cells, natural gas generation, carbon storage and wider infrastructure will support its first data centre in Wyoming.

 

No commercial operating date has been announced for the data centre itself, while the fuel-cell installation remains scheduled for completion by the end of 2028.

 

Source：FuelCellsWorks