What the AI infrastructure surge signals for power, permitting, and emissions The next wave of data center development is not just a technology story. It is increasingly a power infrastructure story. For developers and operators, that changes the conversation in a meaningful way. Reliable generation is only part of the equation. As projects scale, teamsRead more
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CERAWeek 2026 brought together 11,000 participants from more than 2,350 companies across 90 countries under the theme “Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics.” The size of the event was impressive, but the real takeaway was the direction of the conversation. This year’s discussions reflected an energy market being shaped all at once by AI-drivenRead more
Biofuel Growth Raises the Stakes for Emissions Compliance and Operational Efficiency EPA’s newly finalized Renewable Fuel Standard “Set 2” rule sends a clear signal to the biofuels market: domestic renewable fuels are expected to play an even larger role in the U.S. fuel mix over the next two years. Finalized on March 27, 2026, theRead more
Emerging Legislation at Federal, State, and Local Levels Create New Challenges and Risks for Data Center Air Permitting Emerging legislative trends affecting data centers across federal, state, and local levels in the U.S. are complicating the permitting of new projects and compliance for existing centers. As of November 2025, the United States leads the globalRead more
Illinois raises the permitting bar, while Virginia debates when “backup” can run Data centers rely on backup generators for resiliency, but the scale of new development is pushing states to look harder at the air and noise impacts of those engines. Illinois and Virginia are now moving in the same direction under a shared theme:Read more
What the xAI Decision Signals for Future Data Center Development On January 16, 2026, CNBC reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated its interpretation of Clean Air Act requirements in a move that directly affects how data centers can power rapid expansion projects. The update follows scrutiny of how xAI, the artificial intelligenceRead more
EPA Clean Air Act Data Center Resource Hub: Permitting & Compliance Takeaways On December 11, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a new online resource: Clean Air Act Resources for Data Centers. The goal is to make it easier for data center developers and permitting authorities to navigate Clean Air Act requirements asRead more
In October 2023[AE1] [JC2] [JC3] , we published our blog article Reducing Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector: The Super-Emitter Response Program previewing the major components of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Super Emitter Response Program included in the agency’s comprehensive update to 40 CFR Part 60 Subpart OOOOb, which focuses on standards of performance for crude oil and natural gas facilities. In this article we cover the final form of the Super-Emitter Response Program that was published in the Federal Register on March 8, 2024.
What you need to know. As we reported in our previous blog Microgrid Applications and Regulatory Compliance, both the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently increased their forecast of U.S. electricity demand. Driving the expectation of greater power consumption after a period of relatively flat demand are several factors,Read more
What You Need to know. Forecasters are upping their estimates of electricity demand, acknowledging the impact of several trends. In May 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported it forecasts U.S. annual electricity consumption to increase in 2025 and 2026, surpassing the all-time high reached in 2024. This growth contrasts with the trend ofRead more
