Thursday, 1 October 2026

A leaked Alberta government document sets out draft rules that would require data centers to generate their electricity from natural gas, at least for now, as part of a broader plan to raise production and demand for the resource.

The document lists recommended proposals that include bringing all natural gas pipelines in Alberta under provincial jurisdiction and passing legislation allowing the government to create two Crown corporations.

In a recent interview with The Hub, the Alberta government argued that bottlenecks in the natural gas pipeline network impede efforts to attract and build more data centers, one of the reasons it wants to incentivize or force pipeline expansions.

The heavy-duty gas turbine at the center of the AI buildout, the engine that burns natural gas to generate hundreds of megawatts, is effectively sold out, according to The Washington Times.

Goldman Sachs projects U.S. data center power demand rising from 31 GW in 2025 to 41 GW in 2026 and 66 GW in 2027, according to The Washington Times.

Emissions from data centre electricity use are forecast to reach more than 300 million tonnes by 2035, according to The Economic Times.

AI deployment is accelerating energy demand and carbon emissions, making energy governance critical, according to The Economic Times.

The Iran war has served as a proving ground for Abu Dhabi oil giant ADNOC's investment in artificial intelligence, according to Semafor Net Zero.

AIQ CEO Dennis Jol told Semafor that the firm has become a source of crucial real-time insight into drilling, production, and facilities management for ADNOC since the conflict began. Jol said AIQ moved from a nice-to-have before the conflict to a critical supplier during it.

ADNOC is AIQ's largest customer and shareholder, according to Semafor.

U.S. grid planners are preparing for annual electricity demand growth of about 0.9% to 1.6% through 2050, according to Power Magazine.

Data centers could account for as much as 17% of U.S. electricity demand by 2030, Power Magazine reported, citing the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

ABS granted approval in principle to two Korean floating data center designs, according to Offshore Magazine.

One design belongs to HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, which won clearance for a 100 MW-class barge-mounted power plant built to feed data centers from the water, Offshore Magazine reported.

Before issuing that approval, ABS examined the plant's basic concept, its electrical single-line diagram and a stability assessment, and found the design technically feasible and compliant with regulations.