Today’s edition of Daily on Energy covers various topics including global electricity consumption by data centers, proposed efficiency standards in Europe, and legislative developments in North Carolina regarding data center incentives.
In the Middle East, tensions escalated as Iran conducted drone and missile strikes against Kuwait and Bahrain, leading to U.S. retaliatory actions. This conflict has contributed to an increase in crude oil prices, with Brent crude rising by 2.28% to $98.19 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate increasing by 2.81% to $96.39 per barrel.
Senate Republicans recently blocked a Democratic effort to reverse the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) relaxation of air toxin regulations for coal-fired power plants. The Senate voted 53-46 against proceeding with a vote on the resolution introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.
A report from the United Nations University indicates that global data centers consumed 448 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2025, comparable to the consumption of several countries. This figure is projected to more than double by 2030, potentially exceeding 945 terawatt-hours.
In North Carolina, a bill aimed at regulating data center development is set for a vote, which would prohibit local incentives and require data centers to cover the costs of upgrading transmission lines.
The European Union is also working on establishing energy efficiency standards for data centers to manage their growing electricity consumption, which currently accounts for about 2.5% of the EU's total electricity use.
Additionally, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a waiver to expedite the restart of the Crane Clean Energy Center, formerly known as Three Mile Island, allowing it to connect to the grid sooner than previously expected.
In other news, Ukrainian drones targeted an oil terminal in St. Petersburg, and a large American flag was displayed at the Hoover Dam as part of a patriotic initiative. Finally, the House passed a geothermal energy package aimed at facilitating domestic energy development.
