Environment & Climate
U.S. data centers could exceed Germany and Japan gas use by 2035
A BloombergNEF report projects facilities will use 18 billion cubic feet daily by 2035, TechCrunch reports.
The short version
- A study from BloombergNEF projects that U.S. data centers could burn about 18 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily by 2035.[TechCrunch]
- The projected volume exceeds the combined natural gas usage of Germany and Japan.[TechCrunch]
- Major technology firms including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft are planning onsite gas power plants that bypass the electrical grid.[TechCrunch]
- Analysts at Noreva caution that expectations of stable fuel prices during this infrastructure expansion could prove overly optimistic.[TechCrunch]
Key facts
- BloombergNEF projects U.S. data centers could consume approximately 18 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day by 2035.[TechCrunch]
- By 2035, domestic data centers are forecast to burn more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined.[TechCrunch]
- Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon plan to construct off-grid, onsite natural gas power plants to supply their computing facilities.[TechCrunch]
- Onsite data center generators are estimated to account for 2.9 billion to 3.4 billion cubic feet per day of gas consumption by 2035.[TechCrunch]
- Grid-connected facilities are expected to spur an additional 15 billion cubic feet per day of utility gas consumption by the mid-2030s.[TechCrunch]
What remains uncertain
- Analysts at Noreva warn that assuming natural gas prices will remain stable throughout the facility buildout may be unrealistic.[TechCrunch]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.