Megan McCarty Carino

Big tech is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build out the infrastructure of AI, and they want it up and running ASAP.

Andy Spangros follows data center development for commercial real estate firm JLL.

Andy Spangros follows data center development for commercial real estate firm JLL.

He says getting energy from a local utility has been getting harder with up to a five-year wait.

He says getting energy from a local utility has been getting harder with up to a five-year wait.

So a lot of data centers are going behind the meter, building their own power plants on site.

So a lot of data centers are going behind the meter, building their own power plants on site.

Hyperscalers are investing in clean energy solutions like small modular nuclear reactors.

Hyperscalers are investing in clean energy solutions like small modular nuclear reactors.

Natural gas generation can fire up in a fraction of that time.

Natural gas generation can fire up in a fraction of that time.

That is, if you can get your hands on the required turbine.

That is, if you can get your hands on the required turbine.

Michael Thomas is the founder of CleanView Market Intelligence.

Michael Thomas is the founder of CleanView Market Intelligence.

He analyzed permits and site plans for dozens of data center generation facilities.

He analyzed permits and site plans for dozens of data center generation facilities.

Most of the equipment was natural gas powered, and many developers are getting creative to get online as quickly as possible.

Most of the equipment was natural gas powered, and many developers are getting creative to get online as quickly as possible.

These are less efficient means of generating power from a fuel that is not the cleanest at baseline, says Emily Grubert, associate professor of sustainable energy policy at the University of Notre Dame.