For years, an economically booming China built more gas-fired power plants each year than the US. But now that trend has reversed, as US construction of this type of plant surged by 76% this year. The main driver of the gas-fired plant boom is the staggering electricity demand of AI data centers. Gas is cleaner than coal, of course, but it is still a fossil fuel. Some estimates warn that data centers’ power demand could push up US power-related greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 20%. The US’s main AI competitor, China, by contrast, has leaned into renewables, like solar and hydropower, for its own data centers, betting that the trade-off of less immediate power generation in favor of more long-term sustainability is worth it.
Hard Numbers
Fired up
Natalie Johnson
By Alex KlimentAugust 26, 2026
Alex Kliment
Alex wears a few different caps and tips them all regularly. He writes for the GZERO Daily, works as a field correspondent for GZERO's nationally syndicated TV show GZERO WORLD WITH IAN BREMMER, and writes/directs/voices GZERO's award-winning puppet satire show PUPPET REGIME. Prior to joining GZERO, Alex worked as an analyst covering Russia and broader Emerging Markets for Eurasia Group. He has also written for the Financial Times from Washington, DC, and Sao Paulo Brazil. In his spare time, he makes short films and composes scores for long ones. He studied history and Slavic literature at Columbia and has a Master's from Johns Hopkins SAIS. He's a native New Yorker, a long-suffering Mets fan, and owns too many bicycles.
