Developers of AI data centers are planning about 181 gigawatts of on-site gas-fired generation across the U.S., U.K. and Europe to overcome lengthy grid-connection queues, according to BloombergNEF. If built, the plants—roughly 90% of them in the U.S.—could emit about 345 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent annually, comparable to the output of more than 70 million cars. The push for “speed to power” comes as AI-related electricity use could reach 2,354 terawatt-hours by 2035, or 7% of global demand. While operators say the generators are a stopgap, analysts and campaigners warn they risk locking in fossil fuel use and complicating climate targets. The U.K. has moved to fast-track projects and permit temporary on-site fossil units, highlighting a widening tension between digital expansion and clean-energy buildout.
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