US data centers could consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035

The AI race has grown so frenzied that, by 2035, U.S. data centers are projected to consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined. Over the next decade, data centers are expected to be the second-strongest driver of natural gas demand growth after LNG exports. The facilities could consume about 18 billion cubic feet per day, according to a new report from BloombergNEF, nearly double the amount the organization predicted just nine months ago. The new forecast takes into account that not all announced data center projects will be completed. Data centers that produce power onsite have grabbed headlines in recent months, with Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon all announcing plans for new natural gas power plants that will bypass the grid.