Every time you connect to the internet, you're using a data center. Data centers exist to store, process, and access data and applications. With the rapid growth of digital technology and the internet, the demand for data storage and processing has increased significantly, meaning more data centers need to exist. 

Rowan builds data centers that are powered mostly by renewable energy – in this case, Rowan will be utilizing hydro, solar, and wind power for most of our energy needs. 

Rowan Digital Infrastructure was established in 2020 to provide net-zero power solutions for mission-critical green data centers. With this powered infrastructure-as-a-service offering, we can deliver customized and configurable solutions that provide our data center customers the flexibility they need to urgently de-carbonize their operations.   

It's important to note that Rowan is not a data center operator. Our company builds these facilities to our high standards, and then works with an end user to bring the project online. The end user is typically identified closer to when site development is scheduled, and the project begins construction.

The Cinco project will be built on about 440 acres of land in unincorporated Medina County between Lytle and Natalia, just north of Interstate 35.

We specialize in the responsible development of data centers and operate with strong environmental values. We are dedicated to developing sites powered predominantly by renewable energy sources, in close collaboration with hyperscale partners who share our commitment to maximizing renewable energy procurement.

Our site selection process is deliberate, with a focus on avoiding ecologically or culturally sensitive areas. Our dedication to responsible development extends to our construction practices, where we prioritize initiatives like preparing approximately 85% of construction waste for reuse or recycling, implementing energy-efficient cooling and lighting systems, and ensuring that our suppliers adhere to sustainable practices. 

We are exploring several power options right now and will continue to have those conversations with utilities and energy developers throughout the coming months.

The utility interconnection process carefully studies additional load requests to guarantee grid stability is maintained. A facility is not allowed to connect to the grid if doing so will create a reliability issue for the system and other customers.  Therefore, additional approved load from data centers should not impact service for other customers.

Because data centers like this store critical information like medical and financial records, classified security information — not to mention personal data like family photos — it is essential that they are powered every day of the year.

Reliable and proven backup generation technology is a necessity for any utility. The decision about what kind of backup energy technology will ultimately be made by the end user and will balance the need for reliability with our sustainability goals.

Rowan prioritizes the responsible use of water and is exploring different cooling technologies — including water and air. Beyond cooling, data centers only use a small amount of water for employee facilities.  

We partner only with hyperscale companies that have water positive goals — meaning they replenish more water than they consume. For our Cinco project, we are working with local organizations to understand how we can best offset our water use.

Third-party economic analysis suggests that this project will create more than 600 construction jobs and over 40 permanent jobs (as well as more than 130 indirect and induced jobs) during operations, at wages well above the area average.

Our goal is to hire as much local talent as possible to bring this project to life. We are working with local economic development organizations to ensure that these opportunities are available to residents. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out via the contact page.

We are voluntarily entering into a comprehensive construction management agreement to have a third-party monitoring our development to ensure that traffic, noise, and dust has minimal impact on nearby properties. We are ensuring operating hours, site logistics, tree preservation, erosion and sediment control, dust control, staffing plans and landscaping plans are all in place and align with the community’s expectations.

We have also identified a liaison between our company and the county government to be available for questions, and we are building communications tools for community members to connect with the project team at any time or register any complaints through our complaint resolution process.

Tax dollars from this project will support local schools, law enforcement, and other shared priorities. Third-party economic analysis has indicated that this project will yield tens of millions in tax revenue shared between Medina County, the City of Lytle, the Lytle and Natalia school districts, and other local authorities. This tax revenue will be used to improve local schools and infrastructure.

Our company strives to be a good neighbor in all the communities where we operate, and we have a track record to show for it. For example, in Medina County, we are implementing substantial development setbacks from adjacent property lines to be respectful of our neighbors.

We have been engaging with community leaders in Medina County for several years, seeking feedback and advice on our project. We are strongly committed to providing those same opportunities for the public at large to learn about our project (such as open houses) and will distribute educational information throughout and beyond the project lifecycle. 

It’s our goal to keep the community up to date as the project moves forward, and to engage with anyone who may be interested in participating in the public process. If you’d like to set up a meeting with the project team, or if you have a question about the project, please reach out via the contact page or email Tim Alborg (talborg@rowan.digital).

This site was intentionally selected to avoid conflict with neighboring land uses, and we plan to work with local stakeholders to mitigate any traffic or noise concerns.

Data centers are designed to support business applications like email and file sharing, customer relationship management (CRMs), enterprise databases, artificial intelligence, and collaboration platforms. This means that the data stored at the Cinco location will likely be information from local companies, hospitals, government entities, banks, schools, and others.

In addition to Texas, Rowan has projects in various stages of development throughout the country, with a focus on Oregon and Maryland.

We are conducting outreach in the fall of 2024 to gain the community’s feedback about this proposed development. Once we’ve introduced ourselves to the community, we plan to file our site plan application with Medina County and will move through a public hearing process. We expect development to begin on the site in mid-2025.

You can reach out to the project team with questions or requests to meet. Please send all inquiries to Tim Alborg at talborg@rowan.digital.