$2.7 Billion in Data Center Savings: New Applied Digital Report Positions North Dakota as the Epicenter for AI Infrastructure

Core Insights - The article discusses the launch of a white paper by Applied Digital Corporation, detailing how smart site selection and cooling design can significantly reduce costs for generative AI infrastructure, potentially saving up to $60 million annually per campus [1][8]. Group 1: Company Overview - Applied Digital Corporation specializes in designing, building, and operating next-generation digital infrastructure for High-Performance Computing (HPC) applications [1]. - The company has introduced Polaris Forge as its North Dakota-based data center region, which is optimized for AI workloads and driven by renewable power [2]. Group 2: Key Findings from the White Paper - The white paper highlights that site selection can lead to annual electricity cost reductions of $50 to $60 million compared to existing 100MW data centers, amounting to potential savings of up to $2.7 billion over a 30-year lifespan [8]. - Polaris Forge 01 is designed to support 400 MW of critical IT load and is built to take advantage of stranded power and favorable climate conditions for cooling [4][8]. Group 3: Infrastructure and Community Impact - The design of Polaris Forge 01 includes a closed-loop, waterless, direct-to-chip cooling system, achieving a projected Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.18 and a Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) near zero [8]. - The company is committed to supporting local economies through initiatives that integrate community priorities, such as workforce housing and job creation [5]. Group 4: Market Confidence and Agreements - Applied Digital has signed a 250 MW, 15-year lease agreement worth $7 billion with CoreWeave for deployment at Polaris Forge 01, indicating strong market confidence in the company's capabilities [6].