environment
US leads record global surge in gas-fired power driven by AI demands, with big costs for the climate
Projects in development expected to grow global capacity by nearly 50% amid growing concern over impact on planet
TL;DR
- The US is leading a global surge in new gas-fired power generation, driven by the energy demands of AI datacenters.
- This expansion is projected to significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions globally.
- The US plans to triple its gas-fired capacity by 2025, with a third of new capacity located at datacenters.
- The US is the largest contributor to global gas capacity in development, followed by China, Vietnam, Iraq, and Brazil.
- Texas is the epicenter of this boom in the US, with substantial new gas power under construction.
- Scientists warn that locking in new gas plants for uncertain AI demand means decades of pollution.
- The proliferation of datacenters has already caused a bump in greenhouse gas emissions and boosted electricity demand, raising power bills.
- Grassroots backlash against datacenters over power bills and water usage has stalled some projects.
- Plans include Meta building a $1.5bn gas-powered datacenter in El Paso, Texas, and a former coal plant in western Pennsylvania being converted to a gas facility for a datacenter campus.