US Data Centers Add Power Generation as China Moves AI Facilities West Under Green-Energy Rules

Data centers in the United States are increasing electricity demand faster than the existing power network can accommodate, Semafor reported June 26. An ING analysis found that developers are constructing their own power generation and storage systems that can also support local grids.

In China, artificial intelligence operations could reach 5.3 percent of the country’s total electricity usage by 2030.

Authorities are advancing an “Eastern Data, Western Computing” model that places major data centers in the more sparsely populated western regions. Under the same policy, those western hubs must operate on 80 percent green energy, according to Caixin reporting cited by Semafor.