Governments everywhere are trying to connect new data centers to power grids faster, aiming to cut down on emissions as our digital lives keep growing.
Right now, many developers use their own natural gas generators because grid connections take too long.
A recent BloombergNEF report examines proposed policy efforts in the US Europe and Asia to accelerate grid connections and limit the environmental impact of data-center growth, a hot topic at the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Turkey.
Report: grid over gas cuts CO2
The report says sticking with grid power (instead of on-site gas) is key for cutting CO2 in developed countries.
While it's early days for these new policies, they're crucial if we want tech growth without trashing the planet.
In developing regions though, it's tougher: they need better infrastructure and cleaner energy to keep up with demand and stay sustainable.