DNR Air Permit Hearing - Vantage Data Center

In Wisconsin, hyperscale data centers, including the proposed Vantage Data Center in Port Washington, have turned to diesel generators as a source of backup power. Since data centers store information that needs to be accessible at all times, they need to ensure the systems stay online, even when the power goes out.

However, using diesel generators can cause significant pollution. Diesel exhaust is a type 1 carcinogen linked to cancer, heart problems, and lung disease. Large industrial generators also emit harmful air pollutants that worsen smog, particularly on hot, sunny days. Batteries could provide backup power at data centers without these impacts, but Vantage is moving forward with using diesel generators.

While these generators are intended to serve as a backup in the event of a power outage, they also require regular operation for maintenance and testing purposes. In the event of a power outage, the generators could emit large…