Power Demand by AI Data Centers Puts Emissions Targets at Risk
Major technology companies have set ambitious clean energy targets, with leading names committing to carbon neutrality or 24/7 renewable power by the end of the decade. Those goals face a structural obstacle: AI facilities need uninterrupted power, while wind and solar output is inherently variable across hours and seasons. Artificial intelligence is reshaping global energy demand at a pace that existing infrastructure was not built to absorb. Data centers powering AI applications now require continuous electricity at a scale that dwarfs conventional facilities. That gap between consumption and available clean power supply is raising serious questions about whether the technology…