Environmental and Economic Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Data Centers
The rapid spread of artificial intelligence data centers is increasing energy costs in New Jersey while exerting severe pressure on water and the environment.
Data centers established alongside the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology are causing electricity bills to rise and environmental problems to escalate in New Jersey.
Rising Energy Costs and Electricity Prices
PJM grid, an independent market monitor in New Jersey, states that data centers are responsible for 63 percent of the cost increase in the latest capacity auction.
This situation will lead to record-high electricity costs over the next decade, bringing an additional burden of approximately $9.3 billion.
Number of Data Centers in New Jersey
According to a map published by South Jersey Climate News, there are currently 80 active data centers in the state, with new ones planned for construction.
An average artificial intelligence-powered data center in New Jersey consumes power equivalent to the consumption of approximately 80,000 households in the United States.
The Food, Energy, and Water Nexus
Environmental science professor Daniel Druckenbrod states that the energy required to operate data centers can harm the environment, and this is evaluated under the Food-Energy-Water Nexus.
The interconnected use of these resources creates challenges in sustainably managing the environment and the benefits provided by the ecosystem.
Environmental Risks and Fuel Leaks
According to a report on News 12 New Jersey, 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled into a tributary of the Hackensack River as a result of a leak at a data center caused by a computer malfunction.
The use of fossil fuels leads to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, directly impacting the atmosphere.
Freshwater Resources and Water Security
Artificial intelligence data centers are cooled with clean water to prevent delicate processors from being damaged, which puts pressure on freshwater resources.
Gabriela Smalley, associate professor in the Department of Earth and Chemical Sciences, notes that changes in water flow and temperature can negatively affect migratory species.