Are U.S. utilities and energy infrastructure prepared for the energy demand of data centers to more than double by 2030, driven largely by increased use of AI?
As the use of AI technology grows, experts have their eyes on implications for the energy sector and electrical grid, reports Yahoo Finance. According to a 2021 study, training a large language model program like ChatGPT consumes enough energy to power 120 homes for the entire year. With the energy demands of data centers used to facilitate AI expected to nearly double by the end of this decade, from 17 gigawatts to up to 35 gigawatts a year, concerns about viability of the electrical grid, supply, and cost abound. Timothy Fox, a managing director for ClearView Energy Partners, put 35 gigawatts into perspective for Yahoo Finance interviewers:
That’s “about as much power as the state of New York consumes on the hottest day of the summer.”
“This is coming at one of the most pressing times for the grid,” Fox said, “one of the most prevalent issues facing the grid today, the power sector, is trying to ensure grid reliability at the same time it transitions to cleaner but also intermittent resources…Data centers not only facilitate AI, but they’re the backbone for our industries, for our commerce, for our transportation, for our health. These are mission critical infrastructure, so it’s going to be important that, while we’re facilitating this new industry, it’s not lights out for other industries.”
These concerns will primarily impact places with high concentrations of data centers (e.g., Virginia, California, Texas, and Arizona) and those trying to attract them. Fox says the utility companies and regulators know the demand is coming, but he didn’t delve into specific implications for infrastructure, regulations, and electricity rates.
FULL STORY: AI and the U.S. power grid: Concerns grow that the country's infrastructure is not prepared
Ratepayers Could Be on the Hook for Data Centers’ Energy Use
Without regulatory changes, data centers’ high demand for energy would be subsidized by taxpayers, according to a new study.
Musk ‘Supercomputer’ Raises Water, Power, and Pollution Concerns in Memphis
The facility, which was completed in just 122 days, was rushed through so quickly, it is still missing environmental permits and infrastructure needed to ensure it doesn’t put stress on the grid or local water supply.
Addressing AI’s Massive Energy Needs
How policy can support ‘efficiency-forward’ approaches to AI growth.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
Honolulu's Iwilei Center Plans for Redevelopment Into Mixed-Use Space
Striving to expand affordable housing options for Oahu residents, Honolulu's Department of Land Management requests to redevelop the Iwilei Center into a mixed-use space.
Biketown Lives
Despite public perception of its decline, Portland’s bike share system is alive and well.
‘Stockholm Tree Pit’ Saves Dying Urban Trees
After noticing that two-thirds of its trees were dying, Stockholm developed a new planting method to protect trees surrounded by concrete.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Edmonds
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research