Government costs
A good example of why a US datacenter would cost $1Billion more than overseas would be the upcoming Tier 4 diesel standards that are being implemented no where else in the world. The prices of standby diesel generators (which data centers buy gobs of) will increase by 50% for very little appreciative improvement in air quality. The problem isn't taxation or regulation per se, it's capricious taxation and regulation. It's constantly changing taxation and regulation. Businesses do not do well in uncertain environments. The Obama adminstration management of the economy is a case study in uncertainty.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
