Natural Gas: Powering America’s AI Revolution

Clark Savage

3 weeks ago

AI isn’t just changing the way we work; it’s rewriting the energy demand curve. Every time a data center spins up to train a model or run cloud services, it pulls massive amounts of power from the grid. And the truth is, our current grid isn’t ready for how fast that demand is growing.

Just look at the numbers. U.S. data centers used 176 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2023, triple what they consumed less than a decade earlier. By 2030, we’re talking about 400–500 TWh every year, enough to power 20 to 30 million homes. That’s not a blip on the chart. That’s a new industrial revolution.

So what fuels this surge? Natural gas.

Right now, natural gas generates 42% of America’s electricity, more than any other source. The Energy Information Administration projects that demand will keep climbing, with gas consumption rising 3 to 6.1 billion cubic feet per day by 2030, a seven to 15 percent jump in power-sector usage. That’s the equivalent of adding dozens of new gas-fired plants just to keep data centers online.

Why natural gas? Because it’s reliable, abundant, and clean burning. Solar and wind have important roles, but they’re intermittent. Nuclear is essential, but it takes years, sometimes decades, to build. AI can’t wait that long. Natural gas is the energy that’s available now, at the scale and speed innovation demands.

Of course, the path isn’t without hurdles. Pipelines in regions like the Northeast are already maxed out. Grid interconnection queues leave projects waiting three to five years before they can even plug in. And the supply chain for turbines and transformers is stretched thin, with some manufacturers already booking orders into 2029. It’s like building a freeway system for the digital economy while the on-ramps are jammed.

Here’s the bottom line: if America wants to lead in AI, we have to lead in energy too. That means cutting through red tape to speed up permitting, expanding pipeline capacity, and investing in the infrastructure that links natural gas to the digital backbone of our economy.

Think of natural gas as the anchor leg in a relay race. Renewables will hand off their contribution, nuclear will eventually join the race, but right now, natural gas is the runner carrying the baton at full speed. If we stumble here, the whole team loses ground.

America doesn’t have to accept scarcity. We sit on the most productive natural gas fields in the world, supported by a 400,000-mile pipeline network. We’ve already shown that natural gas can lower emissions while keeping energy affordable. With smart policy and investment, we can harness that same strength to power the AI revolution.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. If we get this right, natural gas will not only keep our lights on, it will keep America at the front of the global race for innovation, security, and prosperity.

By Ann Bluntzer Pullin, PhD
Executive Director, Hamm Institute for American Energy

Source: C3 News Mag