Rising Data Demand Fuels Fossil Energy Surge Amid Climate Concerns

The increasing electricity demand from the global data sector, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence and cloud computing, threatens climate goals as it leads to increased fossil-fuel use. Despite promises for green energy, data companies often rely on natural gas and coal due to insufficient renewable energy expansion.

The surge in electricity demand from global data providers is threatening climate goals, as it leads to increased reliance on fossil fuels. Power regulators and utilities across multiple countries report that the rise in demand is currently being met by fossil fuels like natural gas and coal due to lagging renewable energy deployment.

In the U.S., utilities are constructing new gas plants and delaying the retirement of fossil-fuel power stations to accommodate the growing number of data centers. This trend poses a significant challenge to governments striving to decarbonize power systems while data centers continue to expand rapidly.

Despite pledges from companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon to source renewable energy, they often end up using clean power already integrated into the grid. This situation underscores the urgent need for accelerated renewable energy projects to meet the burgeoning electricity needs of data centers globally.

(With inputs from agencies.)