What Really Determines Where Data Centers Get Built

The podcast explores the key factors determining the optimal locations for new data centers amid a massive global build-out driven by AI and cloud computing. Lloyd Arnold from Bloomberg NEF, joins the conversation to share findings from their report, emphasizing that energy availability and land permitting are the most critical considerations. Virginia and Texas lead as prime locations due to existing infrastructure and cheap power, while the Middle East presents opportunities tempered by geopolitical risks and semiconductor export controls. Brazil emerges as a potential hub, leveraging its fiber infrastructure and renewable energy sources, though its success hinges on attracting US tech firms. Europe's FLAPD markets face energy and permitting challenges, potentially shifting AI deployments towards the Nordics and Iberia.