数据中心的电力需求与清洁能源挑战.docxVIP

Datacenters:Powerneedsand

cleanenergychallenges

March2025Report

Datacenters:Powerneedsandcleanenergychallenges

March2025

Executivesummary

Newdatacenters,especiallythosedesignedtopowerartificialintelligence(AI),arefuelinglargeincreasesinprojectedelectricitydemandintheSouthweststates,aswellasnationallyand

globally.WhileAIoffersthepotentialforsignificanteconomicandsocialbenefits,thereare

growingconcernswiththerapidincreasesinelectricitydemandfromdatacentersandhowtheywillimpactthepowersectorandstateandutilityclimategoals.

Thelargeprojectednewloadsposetwotypesofthreatstostategreenhouse(GHG)emissionreductiongoals.Thefirstisthatutilitiesmayaddmoregas-firedgenerationorincreasethe

utilizationofexistinggas-orcoal-firedpowerplantstomeetthedemandsformorepowerfromdatacenters.Inaddition,withtheaddedloadsfromnewlargedatacenters,utilitiesandstatesmayhaveadifficulttimeaddingenoughrenewablegenerationtomeetthedemandsfrom

electrificationofvehicles,buildings,andindustry.

Inadditiontoclimateandcleanenergygoals,utilitiesareconcernedabouthowtomeettheprojectedenergyneedsfromnewdatacenterswithoutover-buildingnewinfrastructure,andwithoutpassingthesecostsontoothercustomers.

BasedonourinterviewswithSouthwestutilitiesandotherresearch,wehaveseveralrecommendationsforutilities,states,andinformationtechnology(IT)companies.

Utilityrecommendations—————————

1.Utilitiesshouldensurethatnewlargedatacentercustomers,andothernewindustrialorcommercialcustomerswithdemandsover50megawatts(MW)(orcombineddemandsfromseveralfacilitiesofmorethan100MW),committoprovidingsufficientrevenue,

overacontractperiodsuchas12years,tocoverthegenerationandtransmissioninvestmentsmadeontheirbehalf.

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