Data centers guzzle huge amounts of power—and that might end up supercharging investment in renewable energy, executives argue

Investments in data centers have surged in recent years and are likely to keep rising through the end of the decade. Worldwide data center capacity will increase by 46% over the next two years, equivalent to a jump of almost 21,000 megawatts, according to real estate consultancy Knight Frank. The firm also expects capital expenditures to exceed $286 billion by 2027, driven by mounting demand for AI-optimized infrastructure, cloud services, and digital initiatives. 

The AI boom is driving...