- US data center power demand could reach 106 GW by 2035, driven by AI growth.
- Data centers could account for up to 20% of US electricity demand by 2035.
- Bitcoin miners are repurposing infrastructure to support growing AI workloads.
US data centers are straining the nation’s electricity resources, consuming a significant share of the energy produced by the national power grid. Based on reports, data centers in the US will consume roughly 20% of the nation’s total electricity by 2035.
Data Center Energy Forecasts
According to a Bloomberg report, US data center power demand is pegged at 106 GW by 2035, representing a 36% increase over a previous projection of 78 GW made in April 2025. For context, US data centers currently operate around 40 GW capacity, accounting for approximately 3.5% to 4% of the total national electricity demand.
Notably, the report includes a base case scenario that puts the share at approximately 8.6% by 2035. Meanwhile, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has modeled high-growth scenarios, with data center electricity consumption projected to reach between 10% and 20% of US demand by 2035.
Bitcoin Miners Are Shifting to AI Infrastructure
Meanwhile, it is crucial to note that Bitcoin miners combining AI-driven compute are featuring prominently in the data center ecosystem, playing significant roles in the surging energy consumption trend. Core Scientific and Riot Platforms represent the frontline firms that have been strategically partnering with major tech companies, including AWS and Google, to retrofit their mining facilities for AI workloads.
The report noted that Bitcoin miners have secured approximately 6 GW of electricity in the US, with pipelines extending to 12 GW by 2027. Meanwhile, some analysts estimate that 20% of the miners’ capacity may pivot toward AI workloads by the end of the same year. It also cited Texas as an example, where the state’s grid operator, ERCOT, reported that data centers account for roughly 90% of large-load demand applications.
What Could This Mean For Crypto Investors?
The evolving trend spotted by Bloomberg could see crypto miners holding long-term power interconnection agreements being valued like industrial real estate plays. Converting facilities to host AI workloads can unlock lucrative enterprise tech contracts. However, pure crypto plays face immense pressure to adopt cutting-edge, ultra-efficient ASIC technology simply to survive the grid cost inflation.
Meanwhile, as data center power usage strains local communities and grid reliability, political and regulatory scrutiny on energy consumption will likely intensify. Proof-of-Work (PoW) assets like Bitcoin will likely face harsher localized carbon taxes, grid restrictions, or zoning bans. However, high-throughput, eco-friendly Proof-of-Stake networks such as Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano consume virtually zero direct electricity compared to miners. This protects them from the domestic energy supply crisis and aligns them with institutional ESG mandates.
Related: TeraWulf Seeks $3.5B in Debt to Expand Its Kentucky AI Data Center
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.
