Joule

About Joule

Joule is a digital infrastructure and energy company developing data center infrastructure specifically engineered for high-density AI workloads. The company was co-founded by Mark McDougal, who is converting part of his family's 4,000-acre alfalfa farm in Millard County, Utah, for the project. Other founders include Brock Andrus, David J. Gray, Conor Andrus, and Brad Andrus. The project broke ground in November 2025.

Joule's core offering is the BetterGrid™ platform, which aims to deliver power certainty and speed to market for large-scale computational workloads by developing independent, behind-the-meter energy systems. This approach is designed to bypass the multi-year grid interconnection delays often faced by data center developers. The company owns its complete infrastructure stack, including 4,000 acres of land, 10,000 acre-feet of water rights, and direct natural gas interconnections. The campus is located at over 4,800 feet above sea level, providing an optimal climate for cooling efficiency.

The business model centers on leasing space and providing integrated power infrastructure to hyperscalers and other clients with demanding AI workloads. Instead of connecting to an overburdened public utility, Joule generates its own power on-site. The initial phase will feature 1.7 gigawatts of natural gas power-generation equipment from Caterpillar, with initial deliveries starting in March 2026. The project plans to deliver 455MW of operational capacity in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a goal to eventually scale up to 12 gigawatts. The system is designed for N+2 redundancy and uses a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system that turns waste heat into cooling capacity, making it highly efficient. It also utilizes advanced water recovery systems to use 90% less water than traditional data centers.

The data centers are purpose-built for AI, supporting rack densities up to 800kW and liquid-cooling infrastructure from day one. The campus features robust physical security and multi-terabit fiber connectivity from carriers like Lumen, Zayo, AT&T, and Verizon. Joule has raised $63 million in funding from investors including Clearlake Capital Group and Foulger-Pratt.