The AI data center boom is colliding with cities scarred by big industry

A rally in Philadelphia called for a ban on data center construction as authorities consider two sites. Activists cited experiences living near an oil refinery that closed after a 2019 explosion. BloombergNEF forecasts that by 2035, US data centers will consume more gas than Germany and Japan combined.

• Moratoriums on data centers already adopted in Denver, Indianapolis, Charlotte, and Reno
• BloombergNEF: by 2035 US data centers will burn more gas than Germany and Japan
• New York Governor Hochul temporarily banned permits for large projects
• Additional data center demand will add about 1 million tons of greenhouse gases per day