As gas plants rise to power AI, renewable energy allies are fighting for cleaner alternatives
As gas plants rise to power AI, renewable energy allies are fighting for cleaner alternatives
Publish Date: 2026-07-11 07:36:00
Source Domain: halifax.citynews.ca
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — As the explosive energy demand of artificial intelligence spurs a renaissance for fossil fuels, renewable energy allies are trying to ensure that massive data centers will be powered by climate-friendly sources, too.
Lawmakers in states with stronger climate policies don’t want data centers to hinder their goal of slashing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
In other states, environmental advocates and corporations with clean energy goals are working regulatory levers to push monopoly utilities that historically control the energy supply and grid access.
The problem clean energy proponents are confronting is that tech giants are demanding power at such speed and scale — some data centers consume more energy than a mid-size city — that the construction of wind and solar simply can’t keep up.
As a result, the AI boom has set in motion the biggest-ever construction boom of natural gas-fired power plants, not to mention moves by utilities, power plant owners and the federal government to keep aging coal-fired power plants operating past their previously scheduled retirement dates.
Legislation on the desk of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul would require data centers over a certain size to meet renewable energy benchmarks starting in 2030 and, by 2040, get at least 90% of their energy from renewable energies. The bill’s author, state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat, said the targets are realistic.
“We are literally talking about the wealthiest companies in the world that are looking to build in New York state, and if they have the resources to put billions of dollars into data center development, then they certainly should have the resources to build out renewable energy sources to power them,” Gonzalez told The Associated Press.
Worries that AI’s energy demands will scuttle climate goals
Michigan, Oregon and Minnesota led the way, enacting laws in the last 18 months designed to protect their pre-existing requirements…
