Google just unveiled a $1 billion data facility in Kansas City. It will be part of “Google’s ambitious 2030 goal for all of our data centers and campuses to be on carbon-free energy,” according to Monique Picou, a Vice President on Google’s cloud team.
This renewable energy will be provided by a collaborative effort between Evergy, Ranger Power, and D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments. This is being done through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Beavertail Solar Farm.
Construction of the data center has already begun just east of Worlds of Fun. This data center will be utilized to support AI applications such as Gemini and the cloud. No governmental incentives for the building have been mentioned as of yet.
the announcement.
They are also investing $100,000 into their partnership with the North Kansas City School district to help with the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), center teaching children skills for jobs at tech companies like Google.
“North Kansas City Schools will provide holistic support with real world learning opportunities that illuminate new possibilities, resiliency services for students and families and comprehensive post secondary planning to ensure success beyond our walls,” says Dr. Rochel Daniels North Kansas City Schools Superintendent.
Part of this comes by way of the free Skilled Trades and Readiness, or STAR, program coming to Kansas City. With that Picou says,“We want to make sure that we’re also going to be focused on underrepresented communities, I am part of the underrepresented community. And it’s not where you start, it’s how you finish”
This is furthered by Google collaborating with the Missouri Works Initiative and the Urban League. The STAR pre-employment programs (paid programs) are meant to provide opportunities to help students get employment as part of the program.
Google referenced the World Economic Forum when saying that 65% of today’s youth will be working in jobs that don’t exist currently. This program is meant to help make sure they receive an education preparing them for that.
This along with Meta’s $800,000 data center means a lot of big tech is coming to Kansas City.
