cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/71553176
The AI frenzy could push U.S. data centers to become one of the largest consumers of natural gas in the world.
Archived version: https://archive.is/20260915183628/https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/15/us-data-centers-could-consume-more-natural-gas-than-germany-and-japan-combined-by-2035/
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Assuming there’s any left by then.
So glad I dropped a huge chunk of change for a new roof and solar panels. I do not want to deal with the stupid fucking electricity prices these stupid fucks are causing all for advanced predictive text.
They could have built these next to the massive amount of wind turbines that were supposed to go up. The consumption was off the charts way before AI and they sabotaged every other option since then.
The oil lobby fucked us again and it even found itself the perfect scape goat, global warming is now because of AI.
Why tf does saudi arabia consume so much gas? They have barely any people. Is it needed for refining oil?
Not just that. Gas turbines emit multiple times more nasty emissions than proper gas power plants that work by heating water instead of with inefficient motors.
They’re largely unregulated from an emissions perspective for use in datacenters.
Correct me but they are not unregulated but rather their misuse for datacenters, coupling dozens together to create health threatening emissions is not legal. At least it wasn’t until US authorities rubber stamped that environmental crime. Why else would data centers have hidden their use and lied about them, not just towards the public but also towards authorities?
Lol, the bubble will pop long before that. The real question is what scam they’ll pivot to in order to recoup their loss.
My money is on using the consumer hardware shortage to push subscription based virtual desktops.
My money is on super surveillance.
When the bubble pops all this shit will still be there, it will still be in use.
Trump will just bail out
That’s an interesting selection of two countries to pick
So I was just thinking recently about the Boston Tea Party and how the people at that time were just squeezed to the point where it wasn’t tolerable anymore by the powers that be and decided that it was time to take action. Maybe all those data centers can help us read up on neat history lessons.
Was it people that were squeezed to the point and not commercial interests? I believe it had something to do with east india company being allowed to trade tea without tax, while other businesses weren’t?
USA! USA! USA!
:someone whispers rapidly in my ear:
Ah, about my recent outburst. I’d like to DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT AND USA! COAL! GAS! DIESEL!! SMOKE!!! FIRE!!! NUKULAR!!! WARRRR!!!
…erm, sorry. Sorry. Sorry sorry sorry.
(sarcasm aside, be nice if we could have more renewables. If we used something like a tenth of the land we grown corn on just to turn into ethanol (i.e. not food, not even cattle feed, but corn that we turn into ethanol only, adn 10% of that land) - if we used that for solar, we could power ALL of the cars in the US on electric, and free up 90% of that corn-ethanol land to grow food or something else on)
I think the entire country has got enough on their plate to worry about without entertaining the speculations of an opinion article written about what “could” happen in a decade’s time.
Classic climate change denialism take
Their not wrong, though. A lot has to change in this country to make meaningful action on climate change something that can actually happen.
It’s kinda like focusing on a broken window instead of putting out the fire the Molotov cocktail that broke the window started.
Yeah, the broken window absolutely needs to be addressed, but the house needs to not be on fire first.
I fear you’re attributing too much intelligence to the respondent. Anyone that thinks my comment even remotely denies mmcc lacks the intellect to be swayed by a thoughtfully composed response.
