Surging Electricity Use at Data Centers Spikes Fossil Fuel Use

"Surging electricity demand from data centers across the U.S. is outpacing the supply of new clean energy sources, helping to sustain the fossil fuel industry. It's a dynamic at play in California, where renewable energy is limited and expensive while power from existing natural gas plants is available and cheap. Home to Silicon Valley, California now has nearly 300 data centers, many of which require around the clock power to run pre-trained artificial intelligence inference models."

"More are planned, and their combined power needs could be substantial. So could their pollution output, which comes from high electricity use and on-site diesel generators. By 2030, California's data centers could consume the equivalent of adding another city the size of Los Angeles to the grid. In the last two years, investor-owned utility Pacific Gas & Electric has had twice as many applications for large customers than during the previous eight years, mostly from new Bay Area data centers."

"'The volume of data center load was previously not considered' when the commission set a target of capping grid emissions at 30 million metric tons, PG&E wrote. The utility suggested it should instead be 38 million, a difference equal to 21 additional fossil gas plants operating for a full year. It would put the state at the upper limit of its goal to slash grid emissions by decade's end."

Data center electricity demand in California is growing faster than new clean energy capacity, increasing reliance on existing fossil gas plants and diesel backup. California has nearly 300 data centers, many requiring around the clock power for pre-trained AI inference models, and more are planned. By 2030, data centers could consume power equivalent to adding a city the size of Los Angeles. Pacific Gas & Electric received twice as many large-customer applications in the past two years as in the previous eight. PG&E asked to raise a grid emissions cap from 30 to 38 million metric tons, equal to 21 gas plants. State law requires a fully clean grid within 20 years.

Read at Metro Silicon Valley | Silicon Valley's Leading Weekly