United States | News & Politics

Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions: Data centers are highly energy-intensive facilities, consuming up to 50 times more energy per floor space than typical office buildings. The U.S. data centers accounted for over 4% of the nation's total electricity consumption in 2023, a figure projected to rise significantly, potentially to 9-12% by 2030. A majority of this electricity (around 56% in the US) comes from fossil fuels, contributing substantially to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change. The carbon footprint of data centers is comparable to that of the aviation industry.Water Usage: Large data centers use millions of gallons of water daily, primarily for cooling systems to prevent servers from overheating. This can strain local water resources, particularly in drought-prone areas where many facilities are located. The indirect water consumption from the power plants that supply them with electricity is also substantial.yet they want us to to not water our lawns get low flow toilets etc...Were are the climate activists protesting these data centers..