HomeUS data centers may outpace Germany and Japan in natural gas use by 2035
The AI arms race has intensified to such a degree that U.S. data centers are projected to consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035.
Over the next decade, data centers are expected to become the second-largest driver of natural gas demand growth, trailing only LNG exports. According to a new report from BloombergNEF, these facilities could consume approximately 18 billion cubic feet per day, nearly double the figure predicted just nine months ago.
This updated forecast accounts for the likelihood that not all announced data center projects will be completed.
Recently, headlines have focused on data centers generating their own power, with tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon announcing plans to build new natural gas plants that bypass the grid. Such projects are projected to consume between 2.9 billion and 3.4 billion cubic feet per day by 2035, matching current total data center consumption, including natural gas used for grid power generation.
However, BloombergNEF suggests that onsite-powered data centers will represent only a small fraction of overall demand growth.
By the mid-2030s, grid-connected data centers are expected to drive an additional 15 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas consumption by the power sector. To put this in perspective, this represents five times the demand growth through 2035 compared to all other grid-connected sectors combined.
If this remarkable demand growth materializes, it could push natural gas prices higher.
Current data center expansion relies on stable natural gas prices, which have characterized recent years. However, analysts at Noreva believe this may be a false assumption. The combined effect of the data center boom and rising LNG exports could cause prices to surge. Even if tech companies can absorb such a spike, utility ratepayers may not be able to.
Then there is the climate impact.
Burning one cubic foot of natural gas releases the equivalent of 60 grams of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, including emissions from extraction, processing, and distribution, according to the IEA. The additional demand from data centers will generate 1 million metric tons more greenhouse gas pollution daily, equivalent to about 12% of current total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
Related article
Relativity Networks Secures $22M to Deploy High-Speed Fiber for Data Centers
Industry forecasts project data center developers will invest up to $4 trillion by decade’s end, yet site selection remains heavily restricted by political factors and power-grid limitations. While fiber speed is typically taken for granted, one firm
Senate Demands Data Centers Reveal Power Bills
Two U.S. senators have escalated their campaign against data centers and their energy consumption, sending a letter to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday. Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren requested that the agency g
Does Mark Zuckerberg Really Believe AI Is for Everyone?
Loading the player…Meta introduced Glimmer this week, an open-weight AI model that anyone can download and run on personal hardware—a sharp contrast to Muse Spark, the company’s more powerful model, which remains locked behind its own APIs. The relea
Related Special Topic Recommendations
Text-to-speech
Best AI Text-to-Speech Tools: Create Natural Voiceovers for Videos
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Text-to-Speech Tools Curated for Creating Natural Voiceovers in Videos. XIX.AI delivers powerful, game-changing solutions that boost writing efficiency and help you break through creation bottlenecks. We conduct real-world tests, offer free vs paid comparison, and update our rankings weekly. Must-try options are highlighted based on rigorous evaluations. Explore now to Discover your perfect tool for enhancing video quality.
9 tools
xix.ai
Finance
Best AI Fraud Detection Tools: Spot Suspicious Patterns Before Losses Grow
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Fraud Detection Tools curated by XIX.AI offer powerful game-changing solutions to spot suspicious patterns swiftly and prevent costly losses. Get a free vs paid comparison, real-world tests, and detailed rankings to help you choose the must-try option that boosts your security efficiency. Explore now to Unlock your AI edge.
10 tools
xix.ai
Health & Wellness
Best AI Wellness Companions: Reduce Stress with Daily Mindfulness Support
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Wellness Companions Ranked by Experts. This curated list features powerful game-changing tools that offer daily mindfulness support to help users reduce stress, boost focus, and improve overall well-being through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison to find your perfect match. Explore now at XIX.AI to unlock your AI edge.
9 tools
xix.ai
Text-to-speech
AI Speech Styling Tools for Natural Voice Output
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Speech Styling Tools for Natural Voice Output are here on XIX.AI. This curated collection features powerful, game-changing tools that deliver highly customizable voice tones, perfect for boosting writing efficiency and creating engaging content. We conduct real-world tests to provide accurate weekly updated rankings, along with a free vs paid comparison to help you choose the best fit for your needs. Explore now to Discover your perfect tool and Unlock your AI edge.
20 tools
xix.ai
SEO
AI Rank Tracking Tools for Google, AI Overviews, and Answer Engine Visibility
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Rank Tracking Tools for Google, AI Overviews, and Answer Engine Visibility are here on XIX.AI. This curated list features powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests to deliver accurate rankings data. Get a free vs paid comparison, see top performers, and discover must-try options to boost your content’s visibility across search engines. Explore now to find the perfect tool for your needs.
10 tools
xix.ai
Productivity
Best AI Second-Brain Organizers for Notes and Tasks
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Second-Brain Organizers for Notes and Tasks! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, featuring weekly updated rankings, free vs paid comparison, and real-world tests to help you find the perfect tool that boosts productivity dramatically. Explore now to unlock your AI edge!
11 tools
xix.ai
Comments (0)
0/500
The AI arms race has intensified to such a degree that U.S. data centers are projected to consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035.
Over the next decade, data centers are expected to become the second-largest driver of natural gas demand growth, trailing only LNG exports. According to a new report from BloombergNEF, these facilities could consume approximately 18 billion cubic feet per day, nearly double the figure predicted just nine months ago.
This updated forecast accounts for the likelihood that not all announced data center projects will be completed.
Recently, headlines have focused on data centers generating their own power, with tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon announcing plans to build new natural gas plants that bypass the grid. Such projects are projected to consume between 2.9 billion and 3.4 billion cubic feet per day by 2035, matching current total data center consumption, including natural gas used for grid power generation.
However, BloombergNEF suggests that onsite-powered data centers will represent only a small fraction of overall demand growth.
By the mid-2030s, grid-connected data centers are expected to drive an additional 15 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas consumption by the power sector. To put this in perspective, this represents five times the demand growth through 2035 compared to all other grid-connected sectors combined.
If this remarkable demand growth materializes, it could push natural gas prices higher.
Current data center expansion relies on stable natural gas prices, which have characterized recent years. However, analysts at Noreva believe this may be a false assumption. The combined effect of the data center boom and rising LNG exports could cause prices to surge. Even if tech companies can absorb such a spike, utility ratepayers may not be able to.
Then there is the climate impact.
Burning one cubic foot of natural gas releases the equivalent of 60 grams of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, including emissions from extraction, processing, and distribution, according to the IEA. The additional demand from data centers will generate 1 million metric tons more greenhouse gas pollution daily, equivalent to about 12% of current total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
Relativity Networks Secures $22M to Deploy High-Speed Fiber for Data Centers
Industry forecasts project data center developers will invest up to $4 trillion by decade’s end, yet site selection remains heavily restricted by political factors and power-grid limitations. While fiber speed is typically taken for granted, one firm
Senate Demands Data Centers Reveal Power Bills
Two U.S. senators have escalated their campaign against data centers and their energy consumption, sending a letter to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday. Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren requested that the agency g
Does Mark Zuckerberg Really Believe AI Is for Everyone?
Loading the player…Meta introduced Glimmer this week, an open-weight AI model that anyone can download and run on personal hardware—a sharp contrast to Muse Spark, the company’s more powerful model, which remains locked behind its own APIs. The relea
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Text-to-Speech Tools Curated for Creating Natural Voiceovers in Videos. XIX.AI delivers powerful, game-changing solutions that boost writing efficiency and help you break through creation bottlenecks. We conduct real-world tests, offer free vs paid comparison, and update our rankings weekly. Must-try options are highlighted based on rigorous evaluations. Explore now to Discover your perfect tool for enhancing video quality.
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Fraud Detection Tools curated by XIX.AI offer powerful game-changing solutions to spot suspicious patterns swiftly and prevent costly losses. Get a free vs paid comparison, real-world tests, and detailed rankings to help you choose the must-try option that boosts your security efficiency. Explore now to Unlock your AI edge.
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Wellness Companions Ranked by Experts. This curated list features powerful game-changing tools that offer daily mindfulness support to help users reduce stress, boost focus, and improve overall well-being through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison to find your perfect match. Explore now at XIX.AI to unlock your AI edge.
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Speech Styling Tools for Natural Voice Output are here on XIX.AI. This curated collection features powerful, game-changing tools that deliver highly customizable voice tones, perfect for boosting writing efficiency and creating engaging content. We conduct real-world tests to provide accurate weekly updated rankings, along with a free vs paid comparison to help you choose the best fit for your needs. Explore now to Discover your perfect tool and Unlock your AI edge.
20 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Rank Tracking Tools for Google, AI Overviews, and Answer Engine Visibility are here on XIX.AI. This curated list features powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests to deliver accurate rankings data. Get a free vs paid comparison, see top performers, and discover must-try options to boost your content’s visibility across search engines. Explore now to find the perfect tool for your needs.
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Second-Brain Organizers for Notes and Tasks! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, featuring weekly updated rankings, free vs paid comparison, and real-world tests to help you find the perfect tool that boosts productivity dramatically. Explore now to unlock your AI edge!
11 tools
xix.ai
