Crusoe and Redwood Launch Largest Solar-Powered Microgrid for AI Data Centers
Crusoe, a leading AI infrastructure provider, and Redwood, a pioneer in battery recycling and materials, have partnered to unveil North America's largest microgrid, powered by large-scale solar energy and second-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
This new initiative aims to support AI factories with efficient, scalable, and off-grid data centers, addressing one of AI’s most pressing challenges: power.
Harnessing Second-Life EV Batteries for Clean, Scalable Energy
Redwood is well-positioned to bring this solution to market at scale, currently processing 20 GWh of batteries annually, equivalent to the energy from 250,000 EVs.
Through its innovative battery recycling technology, Redwood repurposes used EV battery packs into stationary storage systems, extending their useful life before recycling. These second-life batteries are then integrated into the microgrid, providing a reliable power source for AI data centers.
JB Straubel, Founder and CEO of Redwood Materials, said, “Redwood Energy’s technology allows us to repurpose depreciated but functional EV battery packs, before recycling, into stationary storage. By putting these systems to work in high-demand applications like AI, we’re building energy infrastructure that’s faster, cleaner and at lower cost.”
He added, “By pairing repurposed batteries with Crusoe’s modular data-center platform, we can stand up dependable power wherever new compute is needed, without waiting years for new grid capacity.”
Crusoe Spark: A Modular AI Data Center Solution
As part of this partnership, Crusoe is launching Crusoe Spark™, a modular AI data center solution powered by Redwood’s energy technology. Crusoe Spark integrates all necessary infrastructure, including power, cooling, and GPU-ready racks, into a single, portable unit optimized for AI compute.
These compact, self-contained units are engineered for rapid deployment, enabling businesses to scale their AI workloads without the constraints of traditional data center infrastructure.
Also read: Polar & Crusoe Launch 12MW Sustainable AI Data Center in Norway
A Step Toward Sustainable, Scalable AI Infrastructure
Redwood has already established the world’s largest second-life battery deployment, a 12 MW, 63 MWh capacity microgrid, to power Crusoe’s modular AI data centers. This collaboration represents a breakthrough in clean, scalable energy solutions for AI, offering businesses the ability to deploy AI compute at the edge without relying on large, traditional data centers.
Crusoe’s approach combines its deep expertise in AI infrastructure and energy management, addressing both the power demands and infrastructure complexities of AI. This initiative aims to provide sustainable, low-latency AI compute capabilities for businesses across industries, enabling them to scale efficiently in remote or constrained environments.
