Climate Connections How data centers could delay climate progress
Feb 26, 2026
Nick Muller, a Carnegie Mellon researcher on energy systems, explains how booming AI and data centers drive big new electricity needs. He warns new power plants may be required and discusses trade offs between carbon capture and clean energy. They also talk about the importance of siting data centers where wind and solar are plentiful.
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AI Growth Will Greatly Increase Data Center Power Needs
- Growing AI demand is driving large increases in electricity use at energy-intensive data centers.
- Nick Muller warns U.S. will need significant new generation capacity in the next 5–10 years to power what’s coming online.
Fossil Plants May Be Used To Power New Data Centers
- New data center load could be met by building new natural gas plants or restarting retired coal plants, raising climate and health risks.
- Nick Muller recommends investing in smokestack carbon and air-pollution capture as a way to limit harm.
Emissions From Electricity Threaten Health And Climate
- Burning fossil fuels for data centers produces both local air pollutants that harm health and CO2 that warms the climate.
- Critics argue carbon-capture at smokestacks prolongs fossil infrastructure instead of shifting to clean power.