Demand for Electricity in U.S. is Growing
The Art
The Science
Dramatic Increase in Domestic Demand for Electricity Predicted
“Something unusual is happening in America. Demand for electricity, which has stayed largely flat for two decades, has begun to surge.
Over the past year, electric utilities have nearly doubled their forecasts of how much additional power they’ll need by 2028 as they confront an unexpected explosion in the number of data centers, an abrupt resurgence in manufacturing driven by new federal laws, and millions of electric vehicles being plugged in…”
…Critics say that regulated utilities often default to building gas plants because it’s a familiar technology and because, in many states, they earn a guaranteed profit from capital projects. They don’t always have the same incentive to adopt energy-efficiency programs that reduce sales or to plan transmission lines that can import cheaper wind power from elsewhere.
…There are other ways to meet rising demand that require burning fewer fossil fuels, some experts say. Utilities could get more creative about helping customers use less electricity during peak hours or make better use of batteries, reducing strains on the grid. Advanced sensors and other technologies could push more renewable energy through existing transmission lines. Some utilities are pursuing these options, but many are not….
A New Surge in Power Use Is Threatening U.S. Climate Goals, A boom in data centers and factories is straining electric grids and propping up fossil fuels.
By Brad Plumer and Nadja Popovich, New York Times, March 14, 2024 (links removed)
