Webinar – Lightening the Load: Scaling Clean Solutions for Data Centers and Communities

Have you been approached about building a data center in your community, or want to be prepared in case it happens in the future? Are you concerned about strains on the grid, increased energy costs, or other potential risks? Want to ensure your community retains control? 

Then watch this webinar that was centered around RMI’s report, Lightening the Load: Scaling Clean Solutions for Data Centers and Communities.  

• We outlined the range of opportunities for communities to meet data center energy needs through clean energy investments at the data center (behind-the-meter), across the community, and at utility scale. 

• We talked through two case studies showing the potential of clean energy solutions to increase benefits, and how this is playing out in real communities. 

• Finally, we walked through actionable steps communities can take to collaborate effectively and enable key community benefits, such as leveraging a Community Advisory Board Charter Template.  

When communities, companies, and utilities collaborate successfully, it can ensure affordability, reliability, and sustainability are front and center in the process, increasing community buy-in and benefits. 

Read some of the top questions asked during this webinar below with answers from the report authors

1. How do we work with the utility company, regulators, and other key stakeholders to ensure fair cost allocation for infrastructure improvements? 

It is important to educate and engage directly with utilities, regulators, and other key stakeholders to encourage the use of local, clean resources to address load growth and implement fair cost allocations of energy infrastructure upgrades. Due to traditional planning practices and the existing incentive landscape, utilities may default to familiar practices and risk over forecasting resources, which can cause costs to spill over to other ratepayers. One important opportunity to mitigate these negative outcomes is to develop or update large load tariffs that protect ratepayers from the costs and risks of large load additions. One example of a beneficial large load tariff term is requiring a minimum contract term, which ensures that a large load customer stays on the system for a minimum period and continues to pay for the infrastructure required to supply its electricity needs. More information can be found in RMI’s article “Large Energy Users Want Power. Here’s How to Protect Other Ratepayers from the Costs.”  

2. What are the potential mechanisms to effectively get a data center developer “to the table” for a CBA?  

To match the high demand for AI and other technological services, data center developers are eager to build data centers and deliver services to their customers as fast as possible – and power supply contracts are increasingly a key bottleneck in these deployments. Data center developers are also facing increasing levels of community resistance, which can further delay deployments. Communities can leverage this focus on “speed to market” to bring data center developers to the table and begin the discussion of community impacts and desired benefits. In these conversations, data center companies may be aligned on pursuing rapid deployment of modular, clean technologies if by doing so they can accelerate their interconnection timelines for electricity service while also addressing key community needs.  

3. Are there any examples yet where a data center developer has agreed to a community benefits agreement or something similar?   

We have observed some efforts to ensure community benefits. Notably, there was a recent announcement in October 2025 about a data center project in West Memphis that also plans to bring a new utility-scale solar project online and create a large Energy Impact Fund to help scale energy efficiency and affordability initiatives for local residents.  

4. How do these proposals fit into the context of planning and zoning processes? 

Planning and zoning processes can be helpful to remove barriers for clean energy deployment as well as manage or limit data center development. These types of laws divide land into zones and dictate what types of buildings or uses are allowed in each. Regarding clean energy implementation, rules may need to be reassessed to remove barriers or restrictions on renewable energy systems such as solar PV projects. Similarly, zoning laws can be a pathway for managing data center development if there are concerns about infrastructure demands and environmental impacts. The City of Mesa, AZ approved new zoning rules for data center projects in July 2025. 

5. What are some of the best practices for effective community engagement?  

Here are some tactics and tools to consider:   

• Door knocking to engage with residents and community stakeholders,  

• Social media as an education tool, 

• Town halls with elected officials to organize allies,  

• Public comment trainings to coach willing voices through important public meetings, and 

• Building coalitions with not just environmental organizations, but also health groups, environmental justice groups, and other partners.