A data center using cutting-edge technology that does not require water for cooling and  substantially limits demand on the electric grid while regional capacity is upgraded has  been recommended for approval by DeKalb’s Planning and Zoning Commission. 

The Commission voted unanimously on Dec. 1 to recommend approval of the annexation, rezoning, development plan, building elevations and final plat for the Edged development (Project Vector) by Endeavor Energy, proposed for the City’s southern edge, following a  presentation from the Edged team on innovations in cooling and power that would be  used to substantially limit the project’s impact. 

Water: The Edged data center would not be cooled with evaporative water from DeKalb’s  water system. Instead, the center would use waterless chillers with a closed tubing system. Potable water would only be used for employee kitchens and restrooms and other  conventional uses.  

Electricity: Edged would implement breakthrough technology to dramatically reduce its  demand on the electric grid. The center, including its zero-water chillers, would be  powered by its TurboCell generators running on natural gas. The generators result in less  competition for electricity. At the same time, the equipment operates on clean-fuel natural  gas, which produces very low emissions, and the sound emitted is within DeKalb’s and 

Illinois’ decibel limits. Additionally, the Edged team has developed a new technology for  inline decarbonization of natural gas, paving the way for zero carbon energy. The  generators would power the center until ComEd upgrades its local infrastructure, ensuring  adequate supply for the region. Thereafter, the generators could be used to offset 

seasonal demand on the electric grid.

Land Use: The City’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan, which was developed with multiple  opportunities for public input, designated the site for industrial use. The center would be  built in phases with two buildings proposed northeast of Keslinger Road and Route 23  and two buildings northwest of the intersection. The site follows DeKalb County’s long 

standing policy that development should happen adjacent to municipalities, minimizing  the impact on agricultural areas. Additionally, the Illinois Department of Agriculture found  that including the property in the County’s Enterprise Zone would promote compact and  contiguous development and that it would be consistent with the Department of  Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Agricultural Land Preservation Policy and Illinois  Farmland Preservation Act. 

After site visits to view the Edged technology firsthand, the City is confident the center  would embrace best practices for the powering and cooling of data centers. This would  make the project a leader in environmental compatibility, while matching local goals for long-term planning. 

The proposal will come before the DeKalb City Council on Dec. 8.