"As tech companies tout their plans for massive new data centers, consumers are increasingly worried the AI-driven gold rush will ultimately drive up the price they pay for electricity, according to a new survey. The report, commissioned by solar installer Sunrun, found that 80% of consumers are worried about the impact of data centers on their utility bills. Electricity demand in the United States held steady for over a decade, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)."
"Over the last five years, commercial users including data centers and industrial users began drinking more deeply from the grid, with annual growth rising 2.6% and 2.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, residential use only grew by 0.7% annually. Data centers today consume about 4% of the electricity generated in the United States, more than double their share in 2018. By 2028, consumption is forecasted to rise to 6.7% to 12%, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory."
Consumers express strong concern that data center growth could raise electricity bills, with 80% worried. U.S. electricity demand held steady for over a decade, but commercial and industrial consumption rose notably over the last five years with annual growth of 2.6% and 2.1%, while residential use grew 0.7% annually. Data centers now use about 4% of U.S. electricity, more than double their 2018 share, and are forecasted to consume between 6.7% and 12% by 2028. New solar, wind, and grid-scale battery capacity has helped meet rising demand, supported by big-tech utility-scale solar deals.
Read at TechCrunch
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