Joule picks Caterpillar, Wheeler for 4-GW U.S. data center project

Next-generation infrastructure company Joule Capital Partners has signed an agreement with Caterpillar and Wheeler Machinery Co., a locally owned and operated Caterpillar dealer based in Utah, U.S., to provide integrated energy systems for Joule’s new high-performance compute (HPC) data center campus in central Utah, the companies announced.

Joule Capital Partners’ high-performance compute (HPC) data center campus. (Illustration: Joule Capital Partners)

The project will deliver up to 4 GW of total prime power capacity, making it one of the largest data center deployments in the western United States. Joule’s campus, set to launch with gigawatt-scale operations in 2026, spans 4,000 acres and is designed to support artificial intelligence (AI) ready computing.

The project will incorporate integrated combined cooling heat and power (CCHP) solutions with a by-design liquid cooling architecture. Powered by a fleet of Caterpillar’s G3520K gas generator sets and support equipment, the distributed generation system will produce electricity and capture waste heat to power and cool next-generation, high-density server systems.

In addition, the fully integrated system will include 1.1 GWh of grid-forming battery energy storage along with backup power generation served by diverse fuel sources, as well as automated controls, inverters and switchgear.

The project will be powered by a fleet of Caterpillar G3520K gas generator sets. (Photo: Caterpillar)

Caterpillar’s expanding U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities are expected to accelerate delivery.

“This project is a perfect example of how we can deliver fast, reliable power generation to our customers through integrated energy solutions,” said Melissa Busen, senior vice president of electric power at Caterpillar.

David Gray, president of Joule Capital Partners, said the project represents the core of Joule’s mission to deliver AI-ready compute capacity “by pairing world-class data center campuses with reliable, on-demand power.”

“By combining Caterpillar’s advanced energy systems with Wheeler’s local expertise, we can bring gigawatt-scale capacity to market faster and more efficiently than ever before,” he added, “ensuring our tenants have the power and reliability they need to thrive in the next generation of high-performance computing.”

Caterpillar and Wheeler will provide ongoing service and support for the products and solutions to ensure uptime and availability targets are met.

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