By the Alliance Policy Team
Data centers and high-tech manufacturers have driven a massive surge in energy demand, especially with the rise of generative AI, putting our climate goals at risk, according to the Sierra Club. While tech companies publicly promote themselves as climate leaders, many still rely on fossil fuels and unsustainable water use to power and cool their operations.
In Minnesota alone, the Star Tribune points out eleven Big Tech billion dollar data centers are proposed or being built, and together they will use up more power than all of the residences in the state.
The result is that most will build several natural gas plants that will pollute and harm the environment for decades to come. And ultimately, this will lead to building hundreds of nuclear power plants across the country.
Not only will these data centers stress the local power grid, they will also require massive amounts of water to cool their data servers, as the Star Tribune points out.
Sadly, some of the companies are unwilling to disclose how much water they will use, which is essential because of the likelihood that the deep wells of data centers will dry up the wells of residents.
With the explosive growth of data centers, these energy-intensive industries must take the lead toward a 100% clean energy future. Corporate energy buyers can demand clean energy, but only if the public speaks up.
We must hold tech companies accountable to their climate promises. Demand that they meet their pledges by committing to clean, renewable energy around the clock. Remind Big Tech that we expect better, that the future they promise needs real action to ensure a livable planet.
Join the Alliance by signing this Sierra Club petition and help send a clear message to the biggest corporate energy users about what we want for our future.