Surging U.S. Electricity Demand Driven by Industry Growth and Emerging Technologies Strains Power Grid
• Electricity demand in the U.S. is soaring due to domestic industry growth and increasing need for computing power to support AI
• Data centers, essential for cloud computing, are projected to triple their energy use by 2030, accounting for one-third of demand growth
• Crypto mining claims up to 2.3% of U.S. energy use as miners use more computers to increase their chances, requesting the equivalent of 41 new nuclear plants in Texas
• Legalized marijuana, which requires intense lighting and temperature control to grow, accounts for 10% of Massachusetts' indoor energy and as much carbon emissions as mining in Colorado
• Grid regulators may be unprepared for the rising demand, with 13 of 20 North American power interconnection areas at risk of shortfalls this summer