Brunswick Sustainability Committee Backs 100% Renewable Power for Data Centers

The Brunswick Sustainability Committee met on Sept. 22 to review solid waste and recycling data and discuss the town's draft data center ordinance. Members reached general agreement that any data center should run on 100 percent renewable energy, use closed-loop cooling at minimum, and rely on battery backup rather than fossil fuel generators. Staff will forward the committee's input to the town's lead on the ordinance.

Key points

• The committee approved the minutes of its June 23 and July 28 meetings by voice vote.
• Members agreed data centers should be required to use 100 percent renewable energy, rejecting the draft ordinance's 50 percent standard and its alternative solar roof coverage provision.
• The group supported closed-loop cooling as a minimum requirement, with interest in advanced methods such as immersion cooling with PFAS-free dielectric fluids.
• Members favored battery backup over fossil fuel generators, citing concern that generator capacity could be used beyond emergencies.
• The committee did not reach a firm position on the draft ordinance's one megawatt size threshold, though several members said one megawatt seemed reasonable.
• Resident Mark Buck, who recently moved to Brunswick from Milwaukee, introduced himself during public comment; Joe DeRivera asked about expanding options for disposing of hazardous waste such as gasoline.

Next steps

• Chrissy Enemas, staff liaison, will send her notes from the data center discussion to Julie Erdman, who is leading the ordinance work.
• Enemas will ask Public Works for the number of residences served by curbside pickup and for school and municipal building collection data, and will seek updated 2026 tonnage figures in January.
• Enemas will check with Casella about a possible recycling audit and follow up on whether brush, limbs, and food waste data can be added to the tracking table.
• The Solid Waste subcommittee will review the 2020 solid waste plan and the Agri-Cycle food waste site costs, and may follow up with the Brunswick Housing Authority on multifamily recycling.
• The Transportation subcommittee will look into promoting EV charging options, including use of the Cedar Street lot chargers, for next year's EV promotion month.

Read the full transcript