As the energy needs of data centers continue to significantly outpace supply, a new report from Bloom Energy predicts that 35 GW of data center capacity will be announced in the U.S. within the next five years — equivalent to over six times the average energy capacity used by New York City yearly.

To meet soaring demand, data centers are set to adopt onsite power systems as a primary energy source, a shift that reflects the need to ease pressure on an aging power grid.

Based on a survey of 100 data center managers, the findings include:

• In the U.S., an additional 55 GW of data center IT capacity is expected to come online in the next five years (vs. the 25 GW of existing capacity today). About 20 GW of more capacity has been announced to date.
• About 30% of all sites are expected to use onsite power as a primary energy source by 2030 — more than double the percentage reported seven months earlier.
• Decision makers are focusing on new factors like time-to-power and the ability to support more demanding and fluctuating AI workloads, reflecting a shift beyond traditional drivers of cost and reliability.

“We see AI and cloud computing driving explosive growth in data center demand, and power availability remains the major bottleneck,” said Aman Joshi, Bloom Energy’s Chief Commercial Officer. “A growing number of data center leaders are turning to onsite power as a primary energy source. They feel the urgency to address economic imperatives while ensuring reliable, scalable energy solutions.”