Fuel Cell Data Center Powers Wyoming’s AI Revolution

You can almost taste the excitement out on the rolling plains south of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It’s here that Project Jade Wyoming is planting its roots—a bold idea to pair cutting-edge AI data hubs with on-site power plants that mix natural gas turbines and state-of-the-art fuel cells. It’s an absolute game-changer, giving us a sneak peek at what sustainable energy infrastructure and tomorrow’s digital backbone could look like.

Building the Backbone: Switchgrass Industrial Park

Spread across roughly 600 acres inside the freshly approved Switchgrass Industrial Park—part of a nearly 1,400-acre push greenlit by the Laramie County Commission in October 2025—Project Jade sits next to where Tallgrass Energy is setting up the BFC Power and Cheyenne Power Hub on another 659 acres. The spot’s a freight train of ready-made infrastructure: natural gas and CO₂ pipelines, major rail lines, interstate access, plus fiber networks. All of it’s perfectly primed for one of the nation’s largest fuel cell data center campuses.

Record-Breaking Scale and Behind-the-Meter Power

When it first surfaced in August 2025, Project Jade was billed as a 1.8 GW venture. Fast-forward a few months, and that number has swelled to a whopping 2.7 GW of Behind-the-meter power generation—that’s nearly three times what Wyoming currently uses, according to Cowboy State Daily. On the ground, Tallgrass Energy will marry classic natural gas turbines with Bloom Energy solid oxide fuel cells. Crusoe Energy Systems dubs this their “bring-your-own-power” approach, shielding the local grid (and your utility bill) from any colossal new demand.

Driving Sustainability With Fuel Cells and Cooling Tech

Fuel cells earn their stripes by being super-efficient and keeping local emissions in check. In Jade’s case, Bloom Energy units will internally reform natural gas and convert it electrochemically into electricity, sending out nothing but CO₂ and water. On the chill side of things, they’re rolling out Closed-loop cooling systems that recycle water in a sealed circuit—slashing withdrawals to a bare minimum. To top it off, deep aquifer wells will draw from layers far below any drinking supply, so local water resources stay untouched.

Economic and Community Impact

Once shovels hit the dirt, Jade’s construction boom is expected to hire up to 5,000 workers at its busiest, per Power Magazine. Tallgrass Energy is lining up a $7 billion splurge on energy infrastructure, and the full campus could tip past $50 billion in investment. State leaders—including Governor Mark Gordon—are calling this a strategic homerun for U.S. AI leadership and national security, positioning Wyoming as more than just an energy exporter but a genuine tech and innovation hub.

A Glimpse into the Future

And believe it or not, this is only round one. Planning docs spell out dreams of scaling to 10 GW of compute power, turning Cheyenne into a major node in America’s AI network. With its mix of reliable Behind-the-meter power generation, advanced fuel cells, and sustainable cooling tech, Project Jade is leading the charge on how we power tomorrow’s digital economy.