+
Trump-Backed $100 Billion Stargate to Use Solar Power for AI Infra
ECONOMY & POLICY

Trump-Backed $100 Billion Stargate to Use Solar Power for AI Infra

A $100 billion joint venture, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is set to advance artificial intelligence in the U.S. and will rely partly on renewable energy sources such as solar power and batteries, favored by his climate-focused predecessor.

The Stargate venture, announced on January 23, 2025, involves SoftBank Group Corp., OpenAI, and Oracle Corp. These companies will invest $100 billion to establish infrastructure in the U.S., including data centres for OpenAI. Although executives highlighted a potential $500 billion expansion, they did not specify energy sources for the project.

However, sources familiar with the venture suggest that SB Energy, a SoftBank subsidiary that focuses on solar and battery projects, will play a crucial role in providing some of the digital infrastructure and power generation for Stargate.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the venture’s energy plans. While Oracle and SoftBank did not respond to inquiries, OpenAI indicated that it is exploring various options for integrating clean energy into the project. Potential technologies being considered for Stargate include nuclear power, solar, and battery storage.

With the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, the U.S. is expected to need a significant increase in electric capacity. This could benefit energy sources such as natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, and batteries. While natural gas and nuclear provide continuous power, solar and wind are intermittent, relying on battery storage to supply energy during non-peak periods.

Big tech companies have long championed clean energy for both economic and environmental reasons. Solar and wind are among the least expensive sources of electricity, making them attractive for both cost savings and positive public relations.

 (ET)

A $100 billion joint venture, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is set to advance artificial intelligence in the U.S. and will rely partly on renewable energy sources such as solar power and batteries, favored by his climate-focused predecessor.The Stargate venture, announced on January 23, 2025, involves SoftBank Group Corp., OpenAI, and Oracle Corp. These companies will invest $100 billion to establish infrastructure in the U.S., including data centres for OpenAI. Although executives highlighted a potential $500 billion expansion, they did not specify energy sources for the project.However, sources familiar with the venture suggest that SB Energy, a SoftBank subsidiary that focuses on solar and battery projects, will play a crucial role in providing some of the digital infrastructure and power generation for Stargate.A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the venture’s energy plans. While Oracle and SoftBank did not respond to inquiries, OpenAI indicated that it is exploring various options for integrating clean energy into the project. Potential technologies being considered for Stargate include nuclear power, solar, and battery storage.With the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, the U.S. is expected to need a significant increase in electric capacity. This could benefit energy sources such as natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, and batteries. While natural gas and nuclear provide continuous power, solar and wind are intermittent, relying on battery storage to supply energy during non-peak periods.Big tech companies have long championed clean energy for both economic and environmental reasons. Solar and wind are among the least expensive sources of electricity, making them attractive for both cost savings and positive public relations. (ET)

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train’s Surat-Vapi Section Set for 2027

The first section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor, linking Surat and Vapi, is targeted to begin services in 2027. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2026, while Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has indicated that an inauguration could take place around the middle of 2027. The National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) said the train being manufactured in India is expected to reach the tracks around April or May 2027. The train will undergo extensive testing before the section is opened for passenger services. The project began construction in 2021 and includ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Indian Railways Approves Four Projects Worth Rs. 7.36 bn Across Four States

Indian Railways has approved four projects with a combined value of Rs. 7.36 bn across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. The programme covers train protection, signalling, electric traction supply and a road overbridge, with each project assigned to a different railway zone. In Uttar Pradesh, Rs. 2.52 bn has been approved to extend the Kavach 4.0 automatic train protection system across 607.7 km in the Lucknow Division of North Eastern Railway. The system monitors train movements and can apply the brakes if a driver fails to observe a signal or exceeds a safe speed. The w..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Chandru Raheja Sells 1.49% Stake in Mindspace REIT for Rs. 5 bn

Billionaire Chandru Lachmandas Raheja has sold a 1.49 per cent holding in Mindspace Business Parks REIT for Rs. 5 bn through a bulk deal on the BSE. The transaction involved 9.9 mn units and was executed at an average price of Rs. 505 per unit, according to exchange data. Following the sale, units of Mindspace Business Parks REIT were trading 0.18 per cent lower at Rs. 504.05 on Tuesday. Exchange data did not identify the buyers involved in the transaction. Raheja is the chairman of real estate company K Raheja Corp. The sale involved 99,00,990 units, representing 1.49 per cent of the Mumbai-b..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code