Can Microreactors Solve Data Centers' Unsustainable Energy Growth? Last Energy Thinks So
StorageReview.com, Monday, March 3rd, 2025
The breakneck expansion of AI has pushed data centers to an unsustainable energy consumption trajectory in the United States. As enterprises race to deploy ever-larger AI models, the power demands of hyperscale data centers have surged.
In 2023, data centers accounted for 4.4% of total U.S. electricity consumption, a figure that could rise to between 6.7% and 12% by 2028, according to a recent DOE report.
With AI's computational intensity skyrocketing, Goldman Sachs estimates that data center electricity usage could double by 2030. For instance, Google's AI infrastructure now consumes enough power to rival entire mid-sized cities, prompting the company to explore nuclear solutions.