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CEGEN bringing innovation to Okotoks

The town will soon be home to Okotoks-based CEGEN Environmetal Group’s flagship Micro Modular Data Centre (MMDC), the first of its kind in the world.

A technological innovation is set to put Okotoks on the map.

The town will soon be home to Okotoks-based CEGEN Environmetal Group’s flagship Micro Modular Data Centre (MMDC), the first of its kind in the world.

“This is the new vision for data,” said Steve Morgan, CEO of CEGEN. “There’s real opportunity now because of what’s happened with COVID, that edge computing is becoming more and more something that needs to be done as business decentralizes from the cores of our cities.”

Data centres are the power hubs of the Internet, with some boasting million of square feet of server space, which cost billions to operate in energy costs and leave large environmental footprints.

The MMDC seeks to change the face of the data centre with a 20,000 square-foot facility in Okotoks that will cost 65 per cent less per square foot to construct and will lower the impact of carbon emissions by 44 per cent using CEGEN’s technology.

CEGEN began its journey just over four years ago building technology to capture exhaust from mechanical fans and cycling the energy back into operations. The same technology will be applied to the MMDC, capturing energy from the large chillers on the end of the building designed to keep servers at a stable temperature, and cycling the energy back into the facility.

At the MMDC, carbon dioxide will be cycled through living walls and an on-site greenhouse, where it will be converted by plants into oxygen, said Morgan.

“The idea is actually to give the greenhouse to the local food bank so they can have fresh vegetables year-round for their clients, they can operate it,” he said. “Everything we look at, we look at the economics first, we look at the environmental piece, we want to tell a great community story with every project we do and this is what’s important to us.”

Building materials will be locally-sourced and walls will be insulated with a carbon-negative product, hempcrete, injected between 24-gauge metal sleeves to protect the servers from any particulate, he said.

In addition, the walls will offer noise control to reduce the hum of the servers to virtually nothing on the outside of the building, he said.

The building will also have solar panels across its roof and will be fully-landscaped, with art commissioned by local artists in the lobby and parking areas.

“It’s going to be a beautiful building,” said Morgan. “This is going to become the anchor for all new tech companies coming into the area now.”

The MMDC will be equipped with devices and smart meters that capture environmental impact information at all times, revealing the facility’s environmental impact data quotient.

After measuring controls like noise, vibration, greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, solar power generation and heat, an algorithm will produce the EDQ, a number that will be monitored to ensure the facility is meeting expectations.

“The EDQ can be customized depending on where the MMDC is located,” said Arden Styles, chief commercial officer of CEGEN. “In Okotoks water is an indicator of environmental impact, we can increase the rating of the water calculation in the EDQ so now Okotoks has a customized EDQ for their data centre.”

The MMDC will contribute to the local economy and produce about 35 jobs, he said.

Highwood MLA RJ Sigurdson said job creation is great news during Alberta’s economic recovery.

“I firmly believe that expanding technology in Alberta can profoundly change peoples’ lives for the better and create opportunity for high-skilled, high-paying jobs in sectors and industries across the entire province,” said Sigurdson during a launch event.

He said the commitment to opening MMDCs across Alberta as the company expands will add even more jobs to the economy as it rebuilds.

Coun. Tanya Thorn said the Town appreciates CEGEN’s decision to establish an innovative company in Okotoks.

“Council has identified economic growth and building on our reputation as an environmental leader in the province as a top priority,” said Thorn. “We believe it is possible to achieve these goals simultaneously.”

She said the Town has been working actively to reduce red tape and collaborate with local businesses and industrial leaders to create a favourable environment for innovative businesses like CEGEN.

In the current economic climate it’s important for municipalities to form partnerships with industry in order to fuel the community’s prosperity, she said.

“The COVID pandemic has created immense challenges around the world for individuals and businesses,” said Thorn. “This is why today’s announcement is such good news. It demonstrated that Okotoks is continuing to thrive and service our business community.”

The proposed site for the MMDC is on North Railway Street next to Seaman Stadium. The location will be discussed at the upcoming Okotoks council meeting Aug. 17.

For more information visit www.cegenenvironmental.com

Krista Conrad, OkotoksToday.ca

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