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

到2035年，美国数据中心的天然气消耗量可能超过德国和日本的总和

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. 人工智能竞赛已经变得如此狂热，以至于预计到2035年，美国数据中心的天然气消耗量将超过德国和日本的总和。

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. 在未来十年内，数据中心预计将成为仅次于液化天然气（LNG）出口的第二大天然气需求增长驱动力。根据彭博新能源财经（BloombergNEF）的一份新报告，这些设施每天可能消耗约180亿立方英尺的天然气，几乎是该机构九个月前预测值的两倍。这一新预测已考虑到并非所有已宣布的数据中心项目都能最终建成。

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. Projects such as these will consume 2.9 billion to 3.4 billion cubic feet per day by 2035. That’s about as much as all data centers consume today, including natural gas used to generate power for the grid. 近几个月来，能够现场发电的数据中心频频登上头条，Meta、微软、谷歌和亚马逊都宣布了绕过电网、建设新天然气发电厂的计划。到2035年，这类项目每天将消耗29亿至34亿立方英尺的天然气。这大约相当于目前所有数据中心（包括用于为电网供电的天然气）的消耗总量。

But onsite-powered data centers could represent just a fraction of overall demand growth, according to BloombergNEF. By the middle of the next decade, grid-connected data centers are predicted to drive an additional 15 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas consumption by the power sector. To put that in context, that’s five times more demand growth through 2035 than from all other grid-connected sectors combined. 但据彭博新能源财经分析，现场供电的数据中心可能仅占总需求增长的一小部分。预计到下一个十年中期，接入电网的数据中心将推动电力部门每天额外增加150亿立方英尺的天然气消耗。作为对比，这相当于到2035年，该领域的需求增长量是所有其他并网行业总和的五倍。

If that stunning demand growth materializes, it could nudge natural gas prices higher. Much of today’s data center buildout relies on stable natural gas prices, which have prevailed in recent years. But analysts at Noreva think that might be a false hope. The combined impact of the data center boom and rising LNG exports could cause prices to soar. Even if tech companies’ balance sheets can bear such a surge, utility ratepayers might not be able to. 如果这种惊人的需求增长成为现实，可能会推高天然气价格。目前许多数据中心的建设都依赖于近年来保持稳定的天然气价格。但Noreva的分析师认为，这可能是一种虚假的希望。数据中心繁荣与液化天然气出口增加的叠加影响，可能会导致价格飙升。即使科技公司的资产负债表能够承受这种激增，公用事业的缴费用户可能也无法承受。

Then there’s the climate impact. Burning one cubic foot of natural gas releases the equivalent of 60 grams of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, including 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. That’s about 12% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions today. 此外还有气候影响。根据国际能源署（IEA）的数据，燃烧一立方英尺天然气会向大气中排放相当于60克二氧化碳的温室气体（包括开采、加工和运输过程中的排放）。数据中心带来的额外需求每天将产生100万公吨的额外温室气体污染。这大约相当于美国目前温室气体排放总量的12%。