US building twice as much gas-fired capacity as China in AI boom, analysis finds
There has been a 76% increase in under-construction gas-fired projects amid ‘frenzy’ to build more datacenters The US has surged ahead of China in the building of new gas-fired power generation, largely to feed a boom in artificial intelligence (AI) that is adding vast amounts of planet-heating emissions, a new analysis has found. For decades, China’s rapid economic growth has seen it outpace the…
A new analysis reveals that the United States has surpassed China in the construction of gas-fired power generation capacity, driven by a surge in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) datacenters. According to Global Energy Monitor, the US is currently building twice as much gas-fired capacity as China and more than any other nation globally.
This shift is largely attributed to the increasing demand for electricity to power AI datacenters, which are a crucial component of the AI boom. The analysis highlights that the US has witnessed a 76% increase in under-construction gas-fired projects in the first half of the year, with the potential to expand its gas fleet by approximately two-thirds if all projects are completed.
While the US is now leading in gas-fired capacity, concerns are raised about the environmental impact of using fossil fuels to support AI datacenters, which could result in a 20% increase in US power emissions if fully built. The Trump administration has actively encouraged the construction of these datacenters, despite growing local opposition and potential political repercussions.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
