I live in the Southeast corner of a rural subdivision with fields within 500 feet east and south of my house and the south bank of the Kankakee Torrent 800 feet to the south. The land south of the bank is prime farmland and not eligible for a data center so I won’t worry about having to see one from my home.

The problems and concerns about data centers can be mostly overcome with the new technology. Concerns about the huge power demands can be avoided by use of “magic boxes” built by Bloom Energy. They use natural gas to make electricity and carbon dioxide which can be collected for burial or used to produce something else. The boxes are almost quiet so sound doesn’t bother neighbors. They are flameless, too.

Another complaint is very important if the center has to use ground water which will deplete the valuable and irreplaceable resource. The new technology is to use de-ionized water for cooling the GPU banks. That water is cooled either by a refrigeration device or an air cooler which uses less water than thirty standard homes.

The major concern that is left to consider is where to locate centers which will destroy the least amount of productive farmland. As long as we want information and persist in being addicted to social media centers will be necessary. Perhaps Space–X’s idea to put the centers in space might one day be a replacement, but until that time data centers will be needed.

Centers will make a lot of money and should pay a lot of real estate taxes like any other business. Their taxes should reduce yours so if they are using proper technology a data center could be a good neighbor.