What happened

US developers are expanding gas-fired generation to meet electricity demand associated with artificial intelligence and new data centres, according to a Global Energy Monitor analysis reported by İklim Haber.

Gas capacity at the development stage rose from 252 GW in January to 378 GW, a 50% increase. This total represents around one-third of planned gas capacity worldwide. Projects already being built grew by 76% in the first half of the year, leaving the United States with twice as much gas-fired capacity under construction as China.

The analysis links about half of the proposed new US capacity directly to data centres expected to require large volumes of power. If every project proceeds, US gas-fired generating capacity would grow by roughly two-thirds, with capital expenditure above $647 billion.

Why it matters

Using gas rather than renewable generation for these data-centre loads could raise emissions from US electricity generation by as much as 20%, according to an estimate cited in the report. The expansion could also expose consumers to gas-price volatility through their electricity bills.

The material does not identify specific obligations, policy changes or commercial effects for businesses in Türkiye or the EU. It does, however, show how rapid growth in computing infrastructure can influence power-system investment choices and emissions trajectories.

Background

China had previously held a larger volume of gas-fired capacity under construction. The analysis says the recent build-out of data-centre infrastructure has changed that position.

Demand for facilities from companies including Google, OpenAI and Amazon has also contributed to shortages of the most efficient gas turbines, the report says. Some developers have instead turned to smaller, less efficient equipment. Water use is another concern: more than two-thirds of over 800 planned data centres are located in areas facing drought, according to the material.

What's next

Local resistance to data-centre development is increasing, the report says, and dozens of US cities and counties have introduced restrictions. In July, New York imposed a temporary halt on permits and construction for new hyperscale data centres. The US administration nevertheless supports faster construction and has removed environmental reviews to accelerate projects.