Focus on Data Centers WY sheridanworks Sheridan’s cool climate makes it a real HOT spot for data centers.

Big data centers. Really big. Okay, maybe not yottabytes of data big but then who is? The who’s who of large scale data centers and supercomputing operations who call home really drive home the point: Wyoming is an optimal location.

Key data for your Major Data Center Businesses Wyoming has a strong, low-cost-of-doing-business story. Who’s taking advantage of these Because on top of very low electricity costs – 28% below the unique Wyoming benefits? national average (across all sectors) – and no-to-low taxes, Some of the country’s most Wyoming’s ambient air has sufficient cooling capabilities to high-profile, robust data centric reduce power consumption and related cooling costs even more. companies, including: In other words, the cooler climate is tantamount to free cooling. • • NCAR Wyoming Supercomputing Center • EchoStar • Green House Data Wind and ambient air • Mountain West Technology Network Wyoming’s wind resource can offer great renewable • Wyoming Technology energy opportunities for data centers. With areas of Business Center the state ranking as Superb Resource Potential by the • Ptolemy Data Systems National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL), Wyoming is one of the most favorable locations for wind power development in the country.

1st Lowest Electrical Prices per Million BTU (Source: Beacon Hill Institute, 2010)

Wyoming is an ideal state for: • Unique Purpose Data Centers • Corporate Data Centers • Colocation/ Sites WYOMING WIND RANKINGS • Large Back-up or Recovery Sites • Mass Data Storage Sites (Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon) • 8th – Wind Potential • Public & Private Cloud Sites • 10th – Current Wind • Federal Government Data Centers Energy Production (1300 MW)

WY Sheridan Works • (307) 673.8004 • www.wysheridanworks.com Medicine Bow National Forest

Why Wyoming? Cool ambient air = Free cooling Access to multiple long haul fiber routes Low cost, abundant, redundant, reliable power sources

Climate Profile: closer to the clouds is cooler for business. Wyoming’s climate, characteristically cool and dry, is much more comfortable than the national average. On average, Wyoming claims the lowest number of cooling days (more days below 85 degrees) in the region, and at an average altitude of 6,000 feet, the temperature in Wyoming rarely exceeds 100 degrees F. For most of the state mean maximum temperatures in July range between 85 and 95 degrees F.

Utilities Natural disaster risk Telecommunications Low disaster risk There are nine telecommunication providers near I-80 and throughout the rest While natural disasters can happen anywhere, Wyoming is of the state. Nearly 80% of the housing units in the state of Wyoming have relatively bullet-proof when it comes to usual threats such broadband access through telco, cable, or wireless providers; nearly 100% of as earthquakes and tornadoes. Our central location keeps homes have broadband access via satellite. the state safe and your business up and running. • Numerous long haul fiber routes • Most major communications carriers pass through Wyoming today • According to Federal Communication Commission data, Wyoming residents and businesses have adopted broadband services at a faster rate than other states over the last five years Source: Wyoming Broadband Gap Analysis - Resource Data CostQwest Associates, Inc., June 2008

Water Wyoming has ample water available due to high levels of precipitation, large supplies of groundwater through a series of aquifers throughout the state, and its By Matthew Ericson, Joe Burgess and Bill Marsh/The Times geographic location as a headwater state. Sources: Sperling’s Best Places; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (tornado map); University of Miami (hurricane map); U.S. Geological Survey Source: Wyoming Water Plan by the Wyoming Water Development Commission (earthquake map) http://waterplan.wrds.uwyo.edu/fwp/ch71.jsp There are approximately 778 municipal water systems and 200 wastewater treatment systems in the state. Many industrial users have one supply for potable water and another for non-potable water. While pumping water is a regular Wyoming: High Rankings operational cost, the low price of electricity helps keep that cost minimal. • 1st Business Tax Climate Index (Source: Tax Foundation 2013) Source: Wyoming Rural Water Association. http://www.warws.com/aboutus.htmAccess to water • 1st Best Performing State Economy (Source: The Atlantic, 2010) “ Data centers are a natural fit for Wyoming. • 2nd Best Run State in America It has a low cost of power and the lowest (Source: 24/7 Wall Street, 2012) cost of bandwidth in the nation, by far.” • 2nd Lowest Business Failure Rate Kevin Schaff, CEO and founder of Thought Equity. (Source: Dun & Bradstreet, 2011) • 3rd, Pro-Business States (Source: Pollina Corporate Real Estate, 2012) WY sheridanworks

WY Sheridan Works • (307) 673.8004 • www.wysheridanworks.com Education #1 in the U.S. in percentage of people 25 In Wyoming, the labor force isn’t simply growing, years and older who have a high school it’s composed of the kind of high-tech workers you diploma or higher (92.3%) want. Because in addition to the highly-skilled, data US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010 center savvy workforce that is in place with area 23.6 percent of Wyoming residents (25 employers, the University of Wyoming and Wyoming’s years or older) hold a bachelor’s degree. Community College system combine to create even American Community Survey, 2010 more high-tech talent in the area. These schools provide valuable research and training resources as well.

Incentives & Sites Low cost labor Red tape is just not our style. Wyoming’s business-friendly climate, which includes numerous incentive programs like the Industrial WYOMING DATA CENTER WAGE Development Revenue Bonds and Wyoming Partnership Challenge COMPARISONS (MEAN HOURLY WAGE) Loan Program, is designed to help get your business up and running without a lot of restrictions and hoops to jump through. Plentiful Occupation Wyoming United States site options make the process that much easier. Computer and Information $39.99 $60.41 Systems Managers (11-3021)

Computer and Mathematical $27.53 $37.85 Occupations (15-0000) WyoRECs Renewable Energy Credit Discount Program

Computer Systems Analyst $31.47 $39.58 (15-1121) WyoRECs is a partnership formed in 2013 between the

Database Administrators Wyoming Business Council and Powder River Energy $32.60 $37.19 (15-1141) Corporation (PRECorp) to offer discounted renewable energy Network and Computer credits (RECs) to companies interested in taking advantage of Systems Administrators $28.63 $35.71 green energy to power their growing Wyoming operations. (15-1142)

Computer Support Specialists $22.37 $24.91 (15-1150)

Information Security Analysts, “Wyoming is a perfect fit for data centers. Web Developers, and $29.78 $39.27 We have abundant, affordable energy. Computer Network Architects Our naturally cool climate decreases (15-1179) costs for data centers and we have All Occupations (00-0000) $20.44 $21.74 redundant fiber optics.” Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2011 Wyoming Governor, Matt Mead.

FAVORABLE TAX CLIMATE Sites & Available Properties Wyoming is full of flat, wide-open State Income Tax NO Inventory Tax spaces perfectly suited for large site : operations; and flat sites allow for Low Sales Tax (4 Percent State Wide) LOW: Low Property Tax berms and buffer zones. Wyoming has available sites and buildings across the state, ranging from shovel-ready industrial parks with hundreds of available acres, to shell buildings and existing industrial buildings. For the most current inventory, please visit: www.wyomingsites.com.

WY sheridanworks

WY Sheridan Works • (307) 673.8004 • www.wysheridanworks.com Data Center Incentives WY sheridanworks Sheridan’s cool climate makes it a real HOT spot for data centers. Managed Data Center Cost Reduction Grant Program www.wyomingbusiness.org/program/ managed-data-center-cost-reduction-grant-/3438

Is a $2.25 Million maximum grant that can be used to reimburse accrued utility expenses for power or broadband over 3 years. In exchange for providing these reductions in costs, the applicant (a Wyoming city, county, joint powers board) shall contract with the business to receive direct benefits and indirect economic development benefits including a specific amount of capital investment from business, specific minimum payroll created by the business, the provision of discounted IT services.

The grant amount is based on how much capital investment and payroll the business will realize over five years. For each grant amount, the business must create a match of at least 125% of the grant amount in payroll and capital expenditure with the caveat that 50% of the match will be in payroll creation. Payroll must be greater than 150% of the county’s median wage.

Data Center Infrastructure Grant Funds Data Center Sales

In 2011, the Wyoming Legislature approved a $15,000,000 appropriation Tax Exemption to assist Wyoming cities, towns and counties to build necessary public This requires a $5 Million investment infrastructure for the recruitment and operation of data centers. in capital infrastructure (building, walls, engineering, dirt work, etc) in a Wyoming location in addition to a $2 Million or larger investment in data center equipment (servers, peripheral equipment and data Data Center Permit Exemption center containers) and software purchases. If these thresholds are met the sales tax A mega-data center project, which exceeds $178.3 Million in capital burden on the qualifying computer investment, would be exempt from the requirement of applying for equipment is exempt. This exemption can an Industrial Siting Permit through the Wyoming Department of be applied if the data center invests $2M Environmental Quality. This presents a cost savings of approximately in equipment a calendar year in the future. $500,000 associated with permit application preparation, wildlife studies, In 2011, the Wyoming State Legislature economic analyses, public meetings, permit hearings, attorney fees, etc. added another tier requiring a $50 Million capital infrastructure level. This tier also requires the $2 Million in data center equipment purchases. At this tier the qualifying exempt equipment also includes uninterruptable power supplies (UPS), back-up power generation, specialized heating and air conditioning equipment and air quality control equipment. WY sheridanworks Jay Stender Executive Director | Forward Sheridan 1981 Double Eagle Dr. Unit A | Sheridan, WY, 82801 | [email protected]

WY Sheridan Works • (307) 673.8004 • www.wysheridanworks.com