However, as more data centers emerge across the U.S., concerns are growing about their ability to meet demand sustainably. The power needs of these centers have grown from 10 megawatts to 100 megawatts in just a decade. This increase in electricity demand is happening at a time when U.S. manufacturing is at a 50-year high, putting additional strain on the power grid.
Key takeaways:
- The booming growth of artificial intelligence is reshaping the data center market, leading to questions about sustainability due to the substantial carbon footprint from construction and operation.
- Companies like Lancium are betting on building data centers close to energy generating sites to tap into underused clean power, a shift from the past practice of building data centers close to internet users.
- The power needs of data centers have grown considerably, with 100 megawatts being common today compared to 10 megawatts a decade ago.
- This increase in electricity demand is happening at a time when manufacturing in the U.S. is at its highest in the past half-century, putting additional strain on the power grid.