Again, the availability of affordable, reliable, clean energy plays
a leading role as companies make their site selections.
Business Facilities Magazine has released its 2024 Deals of the Year Awards.
Business Facilities has unveiled its 2024 Deal of the Year Awards, spotlighting major corporate investments that promise significant economic impact across various U.S. regions. In several cases, clean energy facilitated the facilities for these states.
Platinum Award: Meta’s AI Data Center in Louisiana – Meta plans to invest $10 billion in Richland Parish, Louisiana, to establish its largest AI-optimized data center. This initiative is expected to create 500 direct jobs with salaries exceeding 150% of the state’s per capita average, alongside 1,000 indirect jobs. Key factors influencing Meta’s decision included favorable state legislation on sales tax reductions for data center equipment and robust partnerships with educational institutions. The availability of clean energy played a major role in attracting Meta to Louisiana.
Gold Award: Amazon Web Services in Mississippi – Amazon Web Services (AWS) is set to invest $10 billion across two sites in Madison County, Mississippi, marking the largest single investment in the state’s history. The development of these data center complexes is projected to generate at least 1,000 jobs, positioning Mississippi as a pivotal hub for cloud computing and AI advancements. Clean energy played a role in attracting Amazon to Mississippi.
Silver Award: Novo Nordisk’s Expansion in North Carolina – Global pharmaceutical leader Novo Nordisk will invest $4.1 billion to construct a second fill and finishing manufacturing facility in Clayton, North Carolina. The 1.4 million-square-foot expansion is anticipated to create 1,000 jobs, reinforcing the company’s 31-year presence in the state.
Bronze Award: xAI’s Supercomputer in Tennessee – Founded by Elon Musk in 2023, xAI announced a $12 billion investment to build the world’s largest supercomputer—the Gigafactory of Compute—in Memphis, Tennessee. The project underscores Memphis’s growing reputation as the “Digital Delta,” with reliable power and scalability cited as critical factors in the site selection.
These awards reflect the dynamic growth and diversification of the U.S. economy, highlighting significant investments in technology and pharmaceuticals that are set to transform local communities and industries.