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A big tech company is making another big announcement about investing in central Ohio.
Even better is that Ohioans and public officials are starting to learn what that really means.
Upon Google's announcement that it would be investing another $2.3 billion into its data centers in New Albany, Lancaster and Columbus, WBNS noted the data centers consume immense amounts of electricity without creating a large number of jobs.
"Every sector of our economy is going to rely on some form of digital interface with cloud computing. The home of that right now in the Midwest is central Ohio," Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said, according to the WBNS report. "… We have to do this in a sustainable way."
After appearing to understand the need to ride this wave sustainably, Husted turned right around and told WBNS it will not be possible to make up for the demand on the grid with solar and wind energy. Fossil fuels and nuclear power will be necessary.
But so far as working toward energy efficiency and clean technologies, one also has to wonder whether Google would take a page from a smaller player's book. Surely SAI.TECH's Organization of Clean Energy and Climate, and its Computing Heat Recycle Center Education Program could teach the folks at Google a thing or two.
So far, the tech investment boom has branched very little from that "Columbus Cloud Region" of which the politicians are so proud. It's time they look to other corners of the state where big ideas are hatching, too.