Digital Growth And Energy Demand
Data centers support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, research computing,
financial services, public agencies, health systems, and everyday digital platforms.
Recent energy studies show that this digital infrastructure is becoming a visible part
of the electricity system, not only an information-technology issue.
The 2024 U.S. Data Center Energy Usage Report estimated that U.S. data centers used
176 TWh in 2023, equal to 4.4% of total U.S. electricity consumption. Its 2028 scenario
range rises to 325-580 TWh, or 6.7%-12.0% of forecast U.S. electricity consumption.
Globally, the International Energy Agency projects that data center electricity demand
could more than double by 2030. This rapid growth makes it important to study where
facilities are located and what energy systems they connect to.
Local Environmental And Community Questions
Data center impacts are shaped by location. Electricity-related emissions depend on
the regional grid. Cooling-related water use depends on climate, cooling technology,
grid water intensity, and operational efficiency. Recent water-use research emphasizes
that there is no single siting or operating recipe that minimizes impacts everywhere.
Community concerns also vary across places. Studies and policy discussions point to
questions about land use, grid capacity, local air pollution from electricity generation
and backup power, water availability, noise, utility costs, tax incentives, and whether
economic benefits match local burdens.
This project maps data center sites with matched tract, ZCTA, MSA, and state context
so researchers can inspect demographic, social vulnerability, environmental justice,
climate, drought, and electricity conditions before statistical analysis.