GoKawiilBloombergNEF: US data centers may burn 18 bcf/day of gas by 2035
A new BloombergNEF report forecasts that US data centers will consume roughly 18 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day by 2035, nearly double its estimate from nine months earlier. That figure would exceed the combined natural gas consumption of Germany and Japan, with grid-connected facilities accounting for the bulk of the growth rather than onsite gas plants built by companies like Meta, Microsoft, Google and Amazon.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
This surge positions data centers as the second-biggest driver of US gas demand growth after LNG exports, threatening to end the era of cheap, stable gas prices that has underpinned the AI buildout. Rising prices could burden utility ratepayers even as tech giants absorb higher costs, while the added emissions complicate climate commitments tied to AI expansion.
- US data center gas demand could hit 18 bcf/day by 2035, surpassing Germany and Japan combined
- Grid-connected data centers, not onsite gas plants, will drive most of the growth
- Rising gas demand risks higher prices for both tech firms and utility customers
Source: techcrunch.com — Tim De Chant, 2026-09-15
Published there as: “US data centers could consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.