As gas plants rise to power AI, renewable energy allies are fighting for cleaner alternatives
Summary
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is causing a big increase in demand for electricity, leading to more natural gas power plants being built. At the same time, some states and groups want data centers—large facilities that store and process data—to use more renewable energy like wind and solar to avoid hurting climate goals.Key Facts
- AI uses a huge amount of electricity, sometimes more than a mid-size city.
- Because renewable energy sources like wind and solar grow slowly, natural gas plants are being built quickly to meet energy demand.
- Some states have passed laws requiring data centers to get most or all of their power from clean energy by 2040.
- New York may require data centers to meet renewable energy goals starting in 2030 and reach 90% clean energy by 2040.
- Michigan, Oregon, and Minnesota have laws to keep utilities supplying emissions-free energy to data centers.
- Companies like Google are investing money to expand access to zero-emission energy for data centers.
- Lawmakers worry that without these rules, the energy needs of AI will increase greenhouse gas emissions and hurt climate targets.
- More than a half-dozen states are considering bills to regulate the energy use of large data centers to support cleaner energy sources.
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