by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow
The Daily Sentinel
More than 100 cities and counties have imposed moratoriums on AI data centers, and the state of New York has banned new ones altogether. Fourteen other states considered bans this year and while 13 of those failed, they will be back — because Gallup polls show 71% of Americans now oppose data centers in their neighborhoods.
There are already 1,915 data centers in 29 states (including 31 in Colorado) and another 654 under construction. Part of the growing opposition results from an awareness of the massive need for electric power. The green agenda has driven electricity prices up more than half in much of the country and Americans struggling to pay their utility bills don’t want anything that might drive costs up even more. It is completely understandable, but that equation may soon change.
Political leaders have been saying data center companies will have to either locate them near major power plants or build new major power plants near them. But there is also widespread opposition to new power plants, so that is problematic, too. Meanwhile, we are told it is vital for the U.S. to dominate the AI future.
An old adage says “necessity is the mother of invention.” King Gillette wanted to stop sharpening razors and buy a disposable blade. There was no such thing, so he invented one. James Dyson got frustrated with vacuum cleaners that lost suction when the bag was full, so he invented the bagless cyclone vacuum. Since companies planning new AI data centers realize the nation’s power grid cannot handle much more electric demand, they are looking more creatively at how to build power sources that are not part of the grid at all. The concept is much like installing a home generator to supply independent power when the grid fails. Or in this case, before the power ever arrives.
