Data Centers to Consume More Gas Than Most Nations by 2035
US data centers are on track to consume more natural gas than nearly every nation by 2035, according to a BloombergNEF outlook. The forecast estimates that gas used to generate electricity for data centers will increase by 15 billion cubic feet per day, even if some planned projects never come online.
This would exceed current consumption in every country except China, Russia, Iran, and the United States. Natural gas is expected to supply 69% of the power needed by new grid-connected facilities due to abundant US production, relatively low costs, and gas plants' ability to adjust output quickly.
The AI buildout is projected to become the second-largest source of US gas-demand growth through 2035, behind new liquefied natural gas export terminals on the Gulf Coast. Power-sector gas use is expected to reach 54 billion cubic feet per day by 2035, up from 36 billion in 2025.