Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Dark Side of Data Centre Exponential Growth on Electricity Grids, Water Usage, and Climate
As you are likely aware, my last video posting on YouTube used a controversial splash screen. I do like to experiment with such things, and sometimes I can seemingly put my foot in my mouth by generating controversy to get people to think, and sometimes that may mean annoying some people in the immediate term, for the longer good of the learning process.
First and foremost, I am an educator. A teacher. An apple a day kind of guy...
Data Centre's are experiencing exponential growth around the planet, nowhere more so than in the USA. There is a huge and growing climate impact, including increased electricity and water demand, with corresponding increases in fossil fuel emissions.
I chat about the continued growth of these data centers, and what we can expect over the next 5 years or so.
Remember that although most of the growth in these data centers is for AI, these centers also store our data, process our online experiences in all aspects, run our streaming video services, and essentially run almost all of our online experiences, and they are owned and operated by enormous American companies.
What can we do?
We are rapidly heading to a world where everything digital could be suspect.
When we are unable to distinguish between the reality of digital photos and videos, and those produced by AI, how will our society be able to function and even survive, let alone advance and prosper.
We seem to be plummeting off the cliff at accelerating rates.
I learned in physics many years ago that the rate of change of acceleration can be called the jerk.
Isn't this what we are experiencing now?
Many jerks being caused by jerks? Not just in dealing with climate, but in all aspects of tech...
Please donate to PaulBeckwith.net to support my research and videos connecting the dots on abrupt climate system mayhem.
Year end - Year start GoFundMe: gofundme.com/f/help-paul-continue-his-climate-emergency-research
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. As well as my website, and YouTube, you can find me on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit (multiple climate channels within), Quora, TikTok, Discord, Mastodon, Twitch, Vimeo, Bluesky, TruthSocial, Threads, Substack, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc...
References
Article from the Environmental and Energy Data Center:
Energy Needs Could Upend Power Grids and Threaten the Climate
By Miguel Yañez-Barnuevo, April 15, 2025
eesi.org/articles/view/data-center-energy-needs-are-upending-power-grids-and-threatening-the-climate
Article from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy:
Data Drain: The Land and Water Impacts of the AI Boom, By Jon Gorey, October 17, 2025
https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/land-lines-magazine/articles/land-water-impacts-data-centers/
Article from Western Resources Advocate:
Balancing the Trade-Off Between Data Center Development and its Environmental Impacts
westernresourceadvocates.org/blog/balancing-the-trade-off-between-data-center-development-and-its-environmental-impacts
Article from the Environmental and Energy Data Center:
Data Centers and Water Consumption, By Miguel Yañez-Barnuevo , June 25, 2025
eesi.org/articles/view/data-centers-and-water-consumption
Article with excellent graphs from the International Energy Agency (IEA):
Understanding the energy-AI nexus
iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/understanding-the-energy-ai-nexus
Article from AP News:
Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined
apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-data-center-electricity-wyoming-cheyenne-44da7974e2d942acd8bf003ebe2e855a
Report from the Congressional Research Service:
Data Centers and Their Energy Consumption:
Frequently Asked Questions
August 26, 2025
congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R48646/R48646.2.pdf
Hello! I wanted to share something important with you. Paul Beckwith is doing incredible work to educate people about climate change and extreme weather, but he needs our support to continue this vital mission. Every donation, no matter the size, can make a difference in helping him reach more communities. Please consider clicking the link below to donate or share it with others who care about our planet. Thank you!
Year end - Year start GoFundMe: gofundme.com/f/help-paul-continue-his-climate-emergency-research
Please donate to PaulBeckwith.net to support my research and videos connecting the dots on abrupt climate system mayhem.
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. As well as my website, and YouTube, you can find me on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit (multiple climate channels within), Quora, TikTok, Discord, Mastodon, Twitch, Vimeo, Bluesky, TruthSocial, Threads, Substack, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc...
The Dark Side of Data Centre Exponential Growth on Electricity Grids, Water Usage, and Climate
As you are likely aware, my last video posting on YouTube used a controversial splash screen. I do like to experiment with such things, and sometimes I can seemingly put my foot in my mouth by generating controversy to get people to think, and sometimes that may mean annoying some people in the immediate term, for the longer good of the learning process.
First and foremost, I am an educator. A teacher. An apple a day kind of guy...
Data Centre's are experiencing exponential growth around the planet, nowhere more so than in the USA. There is a huge and growing climate impact, including increased electricity and water demand, with corresponding increases in fossil fuel emissions.
I chat about the continued growth of these data centers, and what we can expect over the next 5 years or so.
Remember that although most of the growth in these data centers is for AI, these centers also store our data, process our online experiences in all aspects, run our streaming video services, and essentially run almost all of our online experiences, and they are owned and operated by enormous American companies.
What can we do?
We are rapidly heading to a world where everything digital could be suspect.
When we are unable to distinguish between the reality of digital photos and videos, and those produced by AI, how will our society be able to function and even survive, let alone advance and prosper.
We seem to be plummeting off the cliff at accelerating rates.
I learned in physics many years ago that the rate of change of acceleration can be called the jerk.
Isn't this what we are experiencing now?
Many jerks being caused by jerks? Not just in dealing with climate, but in all aspects of tech...
Please donate to PaulBeckwith.net to support my research and videos connecting the dots on abrupt climate system mayhem.
Year end - Year start GoFundMe: gofundme.com/f/help-paul-continue-his-climate-emergency-research
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. As well as my website, and YouTube, you can find me on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit (multiple climate channels within), Quora, TikTok, Discord, Mastodon, Twitch, Vimeo, Bluesky, TruthSocial, Threads, Substack, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc...
References
Article from the Environmental and Energy Data Center:
Energy Needs Could Upend Power Grids and Threaten the Climate
By Miguel Yañez-Barnuevo, April 15, 2025
eesi.org/articles/view/data-center-energy-needs-are-upending-power-grids-and-threatening-the-climate
Article from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy:
Data Drain: The Land and Water Impacts of the AI Boom, By Jon Gorey, October 17, 2025
https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/land-lines-magazine/articles/land-water-impacts-data-centers/
Article from Western Resources Advocate:
Balancing the Trade-Off Between Data Center Development and its Environmental Impacts
westernresourceadvocates.org/blog/balancing-the-trade-off-between-data-center-development-and-its-environmental-impacts
Article from the Environmental and Energy Data Center:
Data Centers and Water Consumption, By Miguel Yañez-Barnuevo , June 25, 2025
eesi.org/articles/view/data-centers-and-water-consumption
Article with excellent graphs from the International Energy Agency (IEA):
Understanding the energy-AI nexus
iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/understanding-the-energy-ai-nexus
Article from AP News:
Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined
apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-data-center-electricity-wyoming-cheyenne-44da7974e2d942acd8bf003ebe2e855a
Report from the Congressional Research Service:
Data Centers and Their Energy Consumption:
Frequently Asked Questions
August 26, 2025
congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R48646/R48646.2.pdf
Hello! I wanted to share something important with you. Paul Beckwith is doing incredible work to educate people about climate change and extreme weather, but he needs our support to continue this vital mission. Every donation, no matter the size, can make a difference in helping him reach more communities. Please consider clicking the link below to donate or share it with others who care about our planet. Thank you!
Year end - Year start GoFundMe: gofundme.com/f/help-paul-continue-his-climate-emergency-research
Please donate to PaulBeckwith.net to support my research and videos connecting the dots on abrupt climate system mayhem.
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. As well as my website, and YouTube, you can find me on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit (multiple climate channels within), Quora, TikTok, Discord, Mastodon, Twitch, Vimeo, Bluesky, TruthSocial, Threads, Substack, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc...
