Faculty Insights with Joe DeCarolis

Please join us for CMU Engineering’s virtual program, “Faculty Insights: A 20 Minute Briefing.” In this series, faculty will share insights into their research, its impact, and provide perspective for the future of the field. Following the presentation, attendees will have an opportunity to direct questions and comments to the speaker. “Projected Impacts of Data Centers on U.S. Electricity Costs and Emissions” Rapid growth in electricity demand from data centers could substantially increase U.S. power sector emissions and electricity costs by 2030, with particularly large impacts in regions such as Northern Virginia and Texas. Using a detailed energy model covering 26 interconnected U.S. power regions, we evaluate how demand growth, fuel prices, and federal policies affect electricity generation, infrastructure investment, and costs. Data centers could push U.S. power sector carbon emissions up by as much as 28% and spike regional electricity costs by up to 57% by 2030.