Data centres powered by artificial intelligence already consumed $448 terawatt hours of electricity in 2025, a figure that could double in four years. The surge is driven by the AI boom, with the largest markets in the United States and China still relying heavily on fossil‑fuel generation.

Tech giants are bypassing grid constraints by building their own off‑grid plants. Analysts report 100GW of planned gas capacity across the U.S., with Meta earmarking 10 plants in Louisiana. An Ohio law Smoothed approvals to just 45 days without public hearings, a move that has accelerated the deployment of these high‑emission sites.

Regulators have struggled to keep pace: 75 data‑centre projects, worth roughly $130bn, were stalled or denied in the first quarter of 2026, matching the entire output of 2025. Opposition groups have doubled from 396 to 833 in three months, signalling growing public backlash.

The United Nations has urged major players to disclose emissions, water and land use. While Microsoft and OpenAI have published reports, few firms have broken down site‑specific data. Investors note that the lack of transparency could expose firms to regulatory fines and reputational risk, especially asató