Topic 06 of 13 · 18 guides

Feasibility, diligence & deals

How sites are studied, screened, compared and brought to a transaction.

Start here

Every guide in this topic

How to Screen a Land Portfolio for Data Center PotentialHow to screen a land portfolio for data center potential: define the target, apply knockout filters, score power and land, then tier and verify the results.10 min →
Selling or Leasing Land to a Data Center DeveloperHow landowners sell or lease land to data center developers: options, purchase contracts, ground leases, joint ventures and what developers look for.10 min →
How Long Does Data Center Site Selection Take?The phases of data center site selection from requirements to energization, what happens in each, and why power and permitting usually control the schedule.10 min →
Desktop Screening vs. Field Assessment for Data Center SitesWhat desktop screening of data center land can and can’t tell you, where GIS layers mislead, and when to send surveyors, ecologists and engineers to the field.9 min →
How to Read a Data Center Feasibility ReportHow to read a data center feasibility report: its sections, what verdict and confidence language means, how to judge power and cost findings, and what to ask.8 min →
Site Scoring and Weighting Methods for Data Center SelectionHow data center site scoring works: pass/fail gates vs. weighted scores, AHP and swing weights, normalizing criteria, and sensitivity testing of the rankings.9 min →
GIS Data Sources for Data Center Site Selection: What Each Layer ShowsThe public GIS data sources used in data center site selection (HIFLD, EIA, FEMA NFHL, NWI, NHD, 3DEP, SSURGO, FCC) and what each one shows, misses and dates to.8 min →
Letters of Intent for Data Center Land Deals: Binding Terms, Exclusivity and PitfallsHow a letter of intent for data center land works: which terms bind, how exclusivity and confidentiality are drafted, and what power and diligence terms to add.9 min →
Utility Will-Serve Letters: What They Mean and What They Don’tWhat a utility will-serve letter for a data center site does and doesn’t commit to, how it differs from a capacity commitment, and how to read its conditions.8 min →
How Developers Underwrite Data Center SitesHow developers underwrite data center sites: the key questions, cost to power, schedule risk, utility contract terms and the returns logic behind a deal.8 min →
Data Center Construction Costs per MW and the Site Factors That Drive ThemData center construction cost per MW in 2026, what drives the range, and the site-driven costs (power upgrades, site work, equipment, labor) that move a budget.7 min →
Due Diligence Periods and Purchase Contingencies for Data Center LandHow due diligence periods and purchase contingencies work for data center land: power, zoning and environmental conditions, deposits and extension fees.9 min →
Confidentiality, NDAs and Code Names in Data Center Site SearchesWhy data center site searches use NDAs, code names and LLC buyers, what public records laws allow, and how 2026 disclosure rules are changing the practice.8 min →
What to Check on a Data Center Site Visit: A Field ChecklistA data center site visit checklist: how to read power lines and substations, find pipelines and buried utilities, judge drainage and access, and size up neighbors.9 min →
Public Data Sources for Power Capacity: EIA, FERC, OASIS, Queues and Hosting MapsPublic data sources for power capacity near a site: EIA-860 and 861, FERC Form 1 and 715, OASIS, ISO queues, load forecasts and hosting capacity maps, with limits.8 min →

Every topic

Or search all 240 on the guides page.