The Shelby County Health Department has not set a timeline for approving the turbines, which are close to emitting a critical limit of formaldehyde. If emissions exceed 10 tons per year, the site would be classified as a "major source" of pollution, triggering stricter regulations. xAI is also expanding to a second site in Memphis, likely using more mobile turbines, exacerbating environmental concerns in an already polluted area. The company's approach has been criticized as disrespectful to the local community, which has historically suffered from industrial pollution.
Key takeaways:
- xAI is using mobile natural gas turbines to power its Colossus data center in Memphis, which are typically used in emergencies and are environmentally unfriendly.
- xAI operated these turbines without the required air permits, leading to legal challenges and a delayed permit application to add more turbines.
- The use of mobile turbines is a stopgap solution due to high energy demand and backlogs in stationary turbine production, despite being less efficient and more polluting.
- The deployment of additional turbines in environmentally stressed areas like Memphis could exacerbate existing pollution issues, raising concerns among local communities and environmental activists.