- Omaha data center campus now operational
- Announces support for AI and STEAM education
- Expands clean energy access to Nebraska
Google announced $930 million in investments across Nebraska in 2024 to support its cloud, AI innovation, and data center infrastructure. During an event at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, the company also announced support for the university’s AI education program and to the Lincoln Public School Foundation’s Spark Summer Camp program.
Google’s infrastructure investment will support the growth of its data center campuses in Lincoln, Papillion and Omaha, helping meet growing demand for Google Cloud, AI innovations, and other digital products and services that people and organizations use every day, such as Search, Maps and Workspace.
These campuses are part of the company’s global network of 41 cloud regions that deliver high-performance and low-latency services to large enterprises, startups, and public sector organizations. Customers benefit from key controls that allow them to maintain the highest security, data residency, and compliance standards, including specific data storage requirements.
“Google’s infrastructure is essential to delivering cutting-edge products to a wide range of organizations, including offering our commercial-grade, cloud and AI technologies to public sector customers across government agencies and educational institutions,” said Karen Dahut, CEO of Google Public Sector. “We are grateful for the partnership from leaders across Nebraska as we have grown within the state. I look forward to exploring more opportunities to bring the power of Google Cloud’s technology to support the important missions of the public sector.”
“Google’s investment in Nebraska’s technology infrastructure, including AI, gives us a competitive global advantage,” Senator Pete Ricketts said. “These are the jobs of the future – and they’re coming here to Nebraska. It’s a key reason why our state continues to be the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
“Google is a powerful driver for secure, U.S. infrastructure, and we are grateful for their continued investments in Nebraska,” Representative Don Bacon. “The importance of innovation in national security and AI between the public and private sectors cannot be understated, and we’re working on that right here in Nebraska.”
Supporting Research & Education
In addition to expanding Google’s infrastructure, Google.org also announced a $250,000 grant to University of Nebraska Foundation to support AI research and education across its campuses. Google also donated $100,000 to the Lincoln Public School Foundation’s Spark Summer Camp program for elementary school students, focusing on STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics — through exploration, discovery, wondering, and fun.
“The University of Nebraska is proud to celebrate with Google as they make a transformative investment in our state and in our future,” said University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “Our hope is that this investment in Nebraska will lead to opportunities for economic growth and innovation. Their generous gift to the university underscores our shared commitment to harnessing the power of advancing artificial intelligence to ensure we are on the cutting edge of research, teaching and engagement.”
“Google’s continued investment in Lincoln reflects our city’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation, sustainability, and opportunity,” Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. “By supporting cutting-edge research, AI education, and programs like Lincoln Public Schools’ Spark Summer Camp, Google is helping to prepare Lincoln’s students and workforce for a rapidly evolving future.”
In 2023, Google helped support more than $4.4 billion in economic activity for thousands of Nebraska businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators and developers. Grow with Google has partnered with more than 70 organizations to train 76,000+ Nebraskans on digital skills, including organizations such as public libraries, chambers of commerce and community colleges, and in 2024, launched a collaboration with Nebraska University, providing students, alumni and Nebraskans access to Google Career Certificates.
Google creates economic opportunities across the Cornhusker state. In 2019, Google broke ground on a data center in Papillion and has since created more than 120 jobs for Nebraskans in a variety of full time and external supplier roles, including computer technicians, engineers and various food service, maintenance and security roles.
Expanding Access to Clean Energy for Nebraskans
As a pioneer in computing infrastructure, Google’s data centers are some of the most efficient in the world. Google was the first major company to set an ambitious 2030 goal to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) on every grid where it operates.
Google and Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) have pioneered a procurement framework that enables Google to supply CFE resources to OPPD, execute large-scale clean energy deals, and support Omaha’s energy and capacity needs.
As part of this framework, in May, Google announced a collaboration to grant OPPD access to capacity rights from NextEra Energy Resources’ High Banks Wind Energy Center, which is part of Google’s long-term clean energy portfolio. Last month, Google and OPPD announced a similar collaboration with the Pierce County Energy Center, a 420-megawatt (MW) solar system and a 680MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in northeast Nebraska – expected to come online in 2027.
Improving the Local Watershed
As part of Google’s efforts to support water security in communities where it operates, the company works with local agencies and companies to promote the long-term health of the Platte River Basin.
Several water-focused collaborations are ongoing in Nebraska. By working with N-Drip, Google is progressing its goal to replenish 120% of the water it consumes, on average, across its offices and data centers. Google is collaborating with Arable to accelerate agricultural technology in the Twin Platte Natural Resources District, leveraging field data so farmers can make data-driven irrigation decisions. And in an effort to advance water replenishment, Google is supporting the North Loup groundwater recharge project alongside the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and North Loup River Public Power and Irrigation District.
Learn more about Google in Nebraska at: g.co/economicimpact/nebraska.