where's the cheapest electricity?

Google is actually building data centers at many locations based on what costs they incur and (particularly) what local subsidization for building they can reap.

Cheap power is a factor, but cheap cooling is a factor too for large data farms.

As a rough estimate in most climates, for every dollar you pay for electricity to run the computers, you must pay two dollars for the electricity to run the AC to cool the computers.

If you can be clever and use large bodies of water as a cooling reservoir for many situations, you come out way ahead. (Ever notice where power plants, especially nuclear, tend to be located?)

Tim.

Not much of that but food and land is cheap. Very cheap. Compared to the UK expect your lifestyle to cost about half as much (then again expect your salary to be 3/4 as much).

On the other hand, cars are very expensive given a roughly 300% tax on all imported cars. All in the name of "protecting" local industries.

You mean East Malaysia, on Borneo. Yes some Iban tribes still dress in the old fashion but it's rare now due to simple sensibilities that a t- shirt protects better against insect bites. Though on the other hand showing more skin makes it easier to spot and remove leeches. So it's a trade-off, if you literally live in a jungle like some tribes do it makes more sense to be naked. But most villages while still located in the jungle are made up of clusters of cleared land so it makes more sense to wear clothing.

I live on the mainland and there are some indigenous "orang asli" tribes that used to run around topless. But the last time I saw orang asli women walking around topless was way back in 1995. But seriously, a lifetime of not wearing any "support" makes for some serious "sagging".

We're a relatively popular retirement destination, kind of like Florida. Especially among the Brits and especially those who used to work here.

So why is Google building a unit here in my neighborhood ?:-)

...Jim Thompson

Really? You can get 30kW-hrs of electricity for less than a penny?

Robert

How can that be? The COP for air conditioning is usually around 3. For a well designed data center building (reflective roof, no windows, etc.), the solar heat load should be small compared to the computer power. Shouldn't the AC power cost be around 1/3 of the computer power cost?

Tax incentives by local and state governments are a huge factor, too.

A data center is actually not too much different than a fab. A fab has lower but still non-negligible energy and water needs, and they are put willy-nilly according to local tax incentives.

Tim.