Chapter 01 — Why data centers matter
The cloud has a rapidly growing physical footprint.
Every prompt, search, and model response relies on facilities that consume electricity, water, and land. AI turns computing growth into an infrastructure question.
Electricity use versus facility count
Facility counts and estimated electricity use rise together, but unevenly: countries host very different mixes of facility scale and energy intensity.
Capacity in the ten largest U.S. markets
Northern Virginia remains the dominant U.S. hub, illustrating how new load concentrates in specific local grids rather than spreading evenly nationwide.