U.S. data center electricity consumption is projected to reach 6.7% to 12% of total U.S. electricity consumption by 2028, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Annual water consumption for these facilities is also expected to increase tenfold from 2014 levels, reaching 145 billion to 275 billion liters by 2028.
AI data center growth is now a material strain on both grid capacity and water resources, forcing efficiency as a binding variable.