The world's appetite for compute is exploding, and data centers are at the heart of it. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that global electricity demand from data centers will more than double to ~945 TWh by 2030, driven largely by AI workloads. In the U.S., data centers consumed ~4.4% of all electricity in 2023 and are expected to reach ~6.7–12% by 2028, according to the DOE and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
For developers and power-infrastructure partners, the implications are clear: capacity is scarce, timelines are tight, and community expectations are higher than ever. This guide distills the facts, the pain points, and the site-control playbook TerraPro Solutions brings to help you move from site concept to energized, revenue-generating data centers — without getting stuck in the queue.
By the Numbers
945 TWh
Projected global data center electricity demand by 2030
International Energy Agency
$7T
Global data center capex projected by 2030, with ~$720B for U.S. grid upgrades
Goldman Sachs, May 2024
165%
Projected rise in U.S. data center power demand by 2030
Goldman Sachs
The Growth Moment for Data Centers
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AI, then everything else.
The IEA's base case says data center electricity use will hit ~945 TWh by 2030 — roughly Japan's current total consumption — and AI-optimized facilities are the biggest driver of the jump.
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Tightest market on record.
North American vacancy fell to a record-low ~2.8% in H1 2024, even as construction surged. Scarcity persists into 2025 — as JLL put it in their 2025 North America Data Center Outlook: "power is the new real estate."
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Mega-projects redefine scale.
Microsoft has been reported to plan a ~$100B "Stargate" AI data center project with OpenAI — an emblem of the multi-gigawatt era now taking shape.
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AI rack densities are a step-function jump.
NVIDIA's GB200 NVL72 systems drive ~120 kW per rack, pushing broad adoption of liquid cooling and fundamentally changing how facilities are designed and sited.
"Electricity demand from data centres worldwide is set to more than double by 2030 to around 945 TWh." — International Energy Agency
What's Breaking Deals for Developers
01
Power and Interconnection
The challenge
The limiting factor isn't land — it's electrons. Peak-load growth in PJM alone is projected to rise ~32 GW by 2030, ~30 GW from data centers, forcing rethinks of queue policy and cost allocation. Large-power transformer shortages add another layer: ~30% supply deficits in 2025 and 80–120+ week lead times are delaying energization across the market.
What to do
Lock capacity early with staged, credit-worthy commitments and where appropriate, take-or-pay structures
Co-develop grid upgrades with utilities, leveraging
FERC Order 1920 which requires 20-year regional transmission plans and right-sizing of replacements
Pursue behind-the-meter options (fuel cells, storage, CHP) so your site can operate as a grid asset, not a burden
02
Cooling for AI Densities
The challenge
Air-only isn't enough at 80–120+ kW per rack. Direct-to-chip and immersion cooling are now table stakes for AI training and inference clusters — and most existing facility designs weren't built with this in mind.
What to do
Design for liquid first: manifolds, warm-water loops, leak detection, and service bays
Modularize to compress schedule risk — modular blueprints show roughly halved build schedules versus conventional stick-built paths at scale
03
Community and Permitting
The challenge
Water use, noise, diesel backup power, and "few local jobs" can stall rezonings. In Indianapolis (Franklin Township), Google withdrew a data center proposal after organized neighborhood opposition — a cautionary example increasingly cited by developers.
What to do
Codify community benefits up front: tax-base transparency, workforce programs, district-energy tie-ins
Design for heat reuse where practical — NTT's Berlin facility will supply up to 8 MW of recovered heat to a residential district via ENGIE/GASAG
04
Water Stewardship
The challenge
Cooling water is under the microscope. U.S. data center water consumption could rise ~170% by 2030, amplifying siting risk in water-stressed basins — and entitlement risk in states where water use is a regulatory flashpoint.
What to do
Favor dry and hybrid cooling, heat-recovery plus heat-pump designs, and non-potable sources
Integrate transparent reporting and basin-specific mitigation early to de-risk entitlements
The Sustainability Imperative
Hyperscalers are moving beyond annual renewable matching to hourly, 24/7 carbon-free energy — raising the bar for the entire market.
Google
Targeting 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030, with region-level CFE tracking and first-of-a-kind deals including geothermal in Nevada and carbon-capture-enabled gas in Illinois.
Microsoft
"100/100/0 by 2030 — match 100% of electricity, 100% of the time, with zero-carbon purchases," alongside a 10.5 GW Brookfield PPA program.
Amazon
Matched 100% of electricity with renewables in both 2023 and 2024, making AWS the world's largest corporate renewables buyer.
Emerging levers:
Alt fuels
Equinix reports HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) as a drop-in diesel replacement with up to 90% net CO₂ reduction in pilots across London, Paris, and Frankfurt.
Nuclear
Equinix signed a first-of-its-kind 500 MW agreement with Oklo as nuclear returns to the conversation for firm, carbon-free baseload — a signal of where the market is heading.
Developers Are Asking
Is your site inside a 20-year transmission plan?
Long-range planning (e.g., FERC Order 1920 regional plans) signals where capacity and upgrades are headed. If your site aligns with a planned corridor or right-sized replacement, your interconnection and schedule risk typically improve. Map your milestones to those filings early.
Is your cooling design ready for 120 kW AI racks?
AI densities push well beyond traditional air-cooled limits. Design for direct-to-chip liquid cooling now — CDUs, manifolds, warm-water loops — so you can scale from ~40 kW to 120–200 kW without rework.
Is your interconnection schedule aligned with FERC 1920 filings?
Compliance filings and 20-year plans affect study windows, cost allocation, and right-sizing opportunities. Map your milestones to those timelines to avoid queue surprises.
Is your water plan defensible in a drought-prone basin?
Pair liquid cooling with reclaimed or hybrid strategies, publish a transparent water balance (WUE), and secure MOUs with the utility early. It reduces entitlement risk and community pushback.
What to Watch in 2026
Transmission Planning
RTO/ISO compliance filings under long-range planning continue to shape where capacity actually lands — and which projects get cost-effective interconnection.
Large-Load Rules
Updated rules for 50–100+ MW requests, cost-allocation tweaks, and queue automation pilot programs are maturing across major ISOs.
Transformer Supply
Lead times and procurement strategies remain critical path — pre-buy and standardize specs wherever possible. This is not a problem that resolves quickly.
Liquid Cooling
Direct-to-chip and immersion move from pilots to program standards for 100–200 kW racks. Facilities not designed for liquid will face costly retrofits.
Water & Community
More municipalities will scrutinize cooling water, backup generation, noise, and heat-reuse commitments as data center opposition becomes more organized.
How TerraPro Solutions Helps
TerraPro Solutions supports developers, investors, and infrastructure partners through every stage of data center site control and real estate risk management. Our team bridges land, title, and interconnection requirements so projects stay bankable and on schedule.
Site Control & M&A Readiness
We secure clear, assignable land rights through ALTA Survey Reviews, title curative coordination, and crossing or ROW agreements.
Transaction Support
We prepare diligence-ready packages for buyers, lenders, and title insurers, including SNDAs, estoppels, and consent documentation.
Schedule Risk Reduction
We align title and land deliverables with power-interconnection milestones so nothing delays your path to NTP or sale.
Collaborative Approach
We coordinate seamlessly with your legal, title, and engineering teams to simplify complex land and curative issues.
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In the current $7 trillion data center buildout, control and clarity are everything. TerraPro Solutions helps you protect timelines, preserve value, and deliver assets investors can trust. Learn more about our
Data Center Site Advisory services →
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