US Data Centers Could Outpace Germany and Japan in Natural Gas Use by 2035, Report Says

U.S. data centers could consume more natural gas by 2035 than Germany and Japan combined, according to a report referenced by TechCrunch, as the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure drives up energy demand.

The report suggests that the current boom in AI development, which requires vast amounts of computing power, is pushing data center operators toward natural gas as a key energy source to meet rising electricity needs.

TechCrunch reported that this surge in demand could position U.S. data centers as one of the largest consumers of natural gas globally within the next decade, surpassing the combined consumption of two major industrialized economies.

The projection underscores growing concerns about the energy footprint of the AI industry, as companies race to build and expand data centers capable of supporting increasingly powerful computing systems.

Natural gas has emerged as a preferred energy source for many data center operators seeking reliable power to meet the continuous, high-demand operations required for AI training and processing, according to the report.

Further details on the specific methodology, timeline, and sources behind the projection were not fully outlined in the available excerpt of the report.