Huge data centers, using huge amounts of electricity are popping up all over the Northwest and along the Columbia River, in the Wenatchee Valley, and the Columbia Basin. So much so that it’s now starting to affect the weather (seriously, this is a thing).
Data centers use an immense amount of electricity, and part of that energy is dissipated as heat. Data centers have giant HVAC systems to keep those servers nice and cool. As a result, there’s a large amount of heat that is vented outside the data center, and where does it go? Up into the atmosphere.
According to Seattletimes.com,
‘Steam venting from cooling towers on Google’s local data centers sometimes collects along the Columbia River on chilly mornings. Residents have become accustomed to the phenomenon, which is often visible to drivers along Interstate 84 as they pass through The Dalles.
The steam may be a bigger issue for pilots flying in and out of the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport, just across the river from The Dalles.’
What is happening on the Columbia River?
Local pilots are calling it the “Google Cloud” (Yes, a literal cloud). Usually seen in winter months. It’s a concentration of fog that will occasionally force flights to divert from The Dalles to Portland.
Chuck Covert, a pilot who formerly managed the airport Is quoted as saying “We do have a protected area around the airport to try and prevent those kinds of things from having an effect,”
Just to be clear, no scientific studies have been done yet to determine if this is a natural phenomenon or one that is being caused by the data center, but it does look a little suspicious. Neither Google nor the FAA have responded to outside inquiries.
The Google data centers on the Columbia River have become more than a little controversial because of the amount of water they use in order to cool the data centers. Just last year google used about 550 million gallons of water In The Dalles for evaporative cooling. That pencils out to equal about 40% of the total water consumption of the city.
This Hike in the Columbia River Gorge is a Must Experience
The Labyrinth to Coyote Wall Loop. It runs 6.7 miles with an elevation gain of 1,489 feet. It features a waterfall, lava tube, rock formations, and incredible views. It’s heavily trafficked with hikers and mountain bikers on weekends and dogs are welcome on a leash. Beware, you’ll need good hiking shoes as a good portion of the trail is very rocky. It’s open all year round, but the experts recommend day use from March to November.
Gallery Credit: Paul Drake