Better understand energy and water use, and what communities can do.
With more than 200 data centers now operating in Illinois — and more on the way — communities are experiencing the impact of this rapidly growing industry. Local leaders and community members are asking: How much energy and water do these facilities use, and what tools are available to manage their local impacts?
Attend this webinar to hear from experts who will provide practical information to help local leaders and others understand the potential impacts of data-center development and make informed decisions about potential or ongoing development in their communities.
Speakers:
- Dr. Yu-Feng Forrest Lin, director of the Illinois Water Resource Center, will offer an overview of how data centers operate and the factors that drive their energy and water demand.
- Helena Volzer, senior water source policy manager at Alliance for the Great Lakes, will dive deeper into water use, exploring how data centers source and use water and the potential impacts on regional water systems.
- Stephen Abbott, principal at RMI, will share insights from their recent report, Lightening the Load, which outlines strategies for local energy planning and opportunities for communities to engage with data-center development to support local priorities.
The Resilient Communities Webinar Series is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Prairie Rivers Network's collaboration to build capacity for technical assistance and education aimed to help communities navigate energy and environment-related funding opportunities, provide guidance on community inclusion, and lead community-specific strategic planning. This outreach should help communities secure and manage resources to address legacy pollution, invest in clean energy technologies, and more.
