Core Viewpoint - The rapid growth of data centers, driven by the explosion of artificial intelligence and digital transformation, is significantly increasing electricity demand and pushing for a shift towards green power consumption [2][9]. Group 1: Commitments and Policies - Major data center companies, including Google, Meta, and Microsoft, have set ambitious climate goals to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, while Amazon aims for carbon neutrality by 2040 [2]. - A significant number of these companies have joined the RE100 initiative, committing to using 100% renewable energy for their operations [2]. Group 2: Increasing Clean Energy Usage - Data center operators are actively working to reduce their carbon footprint through renewable energy consumption, driven by net-zero commitments and new government regulations [5]. - While some companies aim for continuous carbon-free energy procurement, most still rely on traditional green power purchasing to lower their carbon emissions [5][12]. Group 3: Prevalence of Green Power Procurement - In 2024, clean power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed by internet giants accounted for 43% of their renewable energy procurement [2]. - The demand for electricity from data centers is expected to grow significantly, with projections indicating that by 2031, data center electricity consumption will surpass that of Japan, making it the fourth-largest electricity consumer globally [9]. Group 4: Regional Differences in Electricity Demand - By 2035, data centers in the U.S. and Europe are projected to account for 6-10% of total electricity demand, while in China, this figure is expected to be around 3% due to the high electricity consumption of other industries [12]. - Southeast Asia is also expected to see a significant increase in data center electricity demand, driven by project reserves and policy support [12]. Group 5: Impact on Energy Infrastructure - The rapid expansion of data centers is putting pressure on local power grids, prompting significant investments in energy infrastructure, such as the $30.2 billion transmission expansion plan by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) [23]. - By 2035, an additional 362 GW of generation capacity will be needed to support data centers, with renewable energy expected to account for 47% of this new capacity [29]. Group 6: Copper Demand and Supply - The construction of new data centers is projected to generate approximately 400,000 tons of copper demand annually, peaking at 572,000 tons by 2028 [33]. - By 2035, the forecasted copper supply will fall short of demand by 6 million tons, leading to increased copper prices [33]. Group 7: Nuclear Power and Data Centers - The demand for electricity from U.S. data centers is expected to double by 2030, potentially reviving interest in advanced fission reactors [30]. - Since 2023, U.S. tech giants and data center providers have partnered with 18 nuclear fission power suppliers, with a total project capacity of 32 GW [30]. Group 8: Natural Gas Demand Growth - In the U.S., the demand for natural gas for power generation is expected to increase by approximately 470% due to the growth of data centers [49]. - The eastern U.S., particularly Northern Virginia, is anticipated to experience the most significant growth in data center capacity and natural gas demand [49].