Natural Gas: Reliable for AI, Strong for America

Whether you like it or not, AI has become an integral part of the way that people move through the world. From simple tasks like taking notes in meetings to larger ones like improving industrial manufacturing processes or analyzing large amounts of data, access to bleeding edge AI tools and technology is quickly becoming a more commonplace part of our everyday lives. And what does AI infrastructure need to succeed? Energy – and lots of it.

Reliable energy is essential for long term success of the data computing centers necessary for maintaining AI’s momentum. With unique characteristics that insulate natural gas infrastructure from most major disturbances, customers rarely see service interruption, even if that customer is a large data center that consumes a lot of energy. Energy loss is expensive, with a recent study showing 78% of surveyed data centers experienced power outages between 2017 and 2020, costing some of those facilities more than $100,000 per incident. If we want to get ahead in the race for AI dominance, then we need to lean on the reliability of natural gas.

A stronger American AI future means a stronger economy, an advanced work force and a more a prosperous country. Power demand is expected to grow 160% by 2030, which will require us to expand natural gas infrastructure. With the existing 2.8 million miles of pipeline networks and an extensive storage systems, not to mention the abundant natural resources available to the U.S., the natural gas industry is uniquely positioned to accelerate America’s AI potential. With even stronger permitting reform, this system could grow to support an even more robust AI future, and policymakers need help to make that happen.

Read more from AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert in RealClearEnergy on how “Natural Gas Is America’s Strategic Advantage Fueling the AI Race.”