Bernard Looney, the former CEO of BP, has joined Prometheus Hyperscale, a sustainable data center startup, as the chair of its Board of Directors. Looney resigned from BP in 2023 after an investigation found he committed “serious misconduct” by not disclosing relationships with colleagues. Prometheus Hyperscale is developing energy-efficient hyperscale data centers, including a $10 billion facility in Evanston, Wyoming.
The 1GW-capacity site will be one of the largest in the world when completed in 2025/26. It will use wind, solar, gas, and nuclear power from Oklo, a startup backed by Sam Altman. Looney will provide guidance on Prometheus’ growth plans and the Evanston project.
He said, “Innovative power solutions are desperately needed to ensure that AI is unleashed to tackle some of the biggest global challenges including healthcare, economic growth, and the energy transition.
Looney leads Prometheus towards growth
We must work to find solutions that lead to Net Positive AI – where the benefits to our world outweigh any costs.”
Prometheus was founded by Trenton Thornock, an investor in energy and infrastructure.
The startup is building sustainable data centers in the US, including liquid-cooled sites for hyperscale workloads. It has plans for four more sites in Arizona and Colorado. Thornock said Looney’s “insights, as well as his extensive operational and project delivery experience, will be invaluable as we bring our flagship project in Evanston, Wyoming, to life and set new benchmarks for sustainable digital infrastructure.”
Trevor Neilson, a climate technology entrepreneur, will serve as Prometheus’ president.
Looney sees this role as a chance to help Prometheus secure customers, investors, and strategic direction. His experience managing large projects and connections with international investors will be beneficial. The energy needs of the AI industry are growing rapidly, and hyperscale data providers are becoming important clients for energy companies.
Looney’s expertise in sustainability and energy is expected to help Prometheus Hyperscale meet these challenges.
