Science Friday As Companies Build Data Centers For AI, Communities Push Back
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Dec 5, 2025 In this discussion, Casey Crownhart, a senior climate reporter at MIT Technology Review, highlights the environmental implications of the booming data center industry. She reveals that some centers could demand triple the energy of entire cities, raising concerns about rising utility rates and community pushback. Casey delves into the decision-making behind site locations, power and water consumption, and the balancing act between corporate climate pledges and increased energy needs. This insightful conversation uncovers the complex challenges facing our tech-driven future.
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AI Buildout Matches Major Energy Sectors
- Data center investment in 2025 outpaced global oil supply investment, highlighting AI's rapid capital surge.
- Data centers accounted for about 1.5% of global electricity in 2024 and may double by 2030.
Single Queries Use Small Energy But Scale Matters
- Google and OpenAI estimate single-query energy at about 0.24–0.34 watt-hours, roughly a second in a microwave.
- Individual queries are small but billions of queries add up to major energy use.
Data Centers Cluster In Water-Stressed Regions
- Many companies site data centers in areas with cheap land and power, often in water-stressed states like Arizona and Nevada.
- Two-thirds of new data centers since 2022 are in water-stressed regions, worsening local resource pressure.