Data Centers Run on Clean Energy Now Welcome on Publicly Owned Land

President Biden issued an govt define to permit files amenities on federal lands in a switch geared in direction of bolstering clear vitality and holding national security all by technique of a assert in synthetic intelligence

By Christa Marshall & E&E Data

CLIMATEWIRE | President Joe Biden issued an govt define Tuesday that directs the departments of Energy and Protection to hire web sites to the inner most sector for a impress-out of “gigawatt-scale” files amenities.

The switch is supposed to bolster clear vitality and give protection to national security all by technique of a assert in synthetic intelligence. Knowledge amenities built on federal web sites will seemingly be required to convey clear vitality on-line to match the potential’s electrical energy wants, in response to the White Home.

The Biden administration did no longer entirely define clear vitality in its announcement. Nonetheless it called for DOE and DOD to settle web sites which contain salvage admission to to transmission and attain no longer negatively have an effect on communities. The governmentdefine additionally directs the Interior Division to name land that might perhaps well toughen the tips amenities and provides a clutch to permitting for geothermal vitality.

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The define requests that federal agencies shuffle up permitting at chosen web sites, including by technique of “explicit exclusions” under the Nationwide Environmental Coverage Act. DOE will seemingly be required to work with utilities to join AI infrastructure to the grid, to boot to promote the deployment of renewable and nuclear vitality.

“DOE will rob acceptable steps to coordinate with builders in developing, financing, facilitating, and planning the upgrade and construction of transmission traces round those web sites. To facilitate this work, DOE will additionally accumulate files to toughen transmission planning in these areas, similar to utility files on transmission congestion,” the define states.

With President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration happening next week, it’s unclear how grand have an effect on the define might perhaps well contain. Trump has chastised Biden’s push for clear vitality however has called for more drilling to spice up vitality offers to salvage sooner than China on AI. He additionally has pushed for an files heart impress-out of his contain.

At a press conference last week, Trump said Hussain Sajwania accurate estate developer in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, would make investments $20 billion to impress files amenities in eight states.

Biden’s define has been expected for weeks. POLITICO beforehand reported that the president pushed for it partly because of workmanship corporations are eyeing subsidies within the Center East to impress files amenities. In November, Google inked a deal to salvage an synthetic intelligence hub in Saudi Arabia.

Tuesday’s define states that the modern conception would live adversaries from having access to highly efficient laptop programs “to the detriment of our navy.” AI is “too critical to be offshored,” the define states.

A DOE describe last month chanced on that files amenities might perhaps well triple their vitality employ and story for 12 p.c of the nation’s electrical energy by 2028. States and utilities contain been grappling with the acceptable device to conception for the surge in electrical energy assign a question to. In Virginia, belief to be one of many arena’s perfect AI clusters, officers contain warned that progress in files amenities might perhaps well additionally concern the grid with out grand faster construction of fuel, renewables and transmission.

Before the define’s begin, environmental teams warned the administration no longer to begin a conception that might perhaps well perhaps loosen environmental restrictions and lengthen the potential for more pollution. The define states that expedited permitting must always happen for infrastructure that “does no longer greatly have an effect on the atmosphere.”

It further directs agencies to total a discover on files amenities’ effects on electrical energy prices.

In step with the White Home, builders would contain to pay the plump trace of setting up, working and asserting files amenities on federal land so they set no longer raise prices for patrons. The define additionally directs DOE and DOD to require corporations to assess national security risks of initiatives and be determined that workers are paid “prevailing wages.”

Reporter Robin Bravender contributed.

This legend additionally appears to be like in Energywire.

Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.