UPDATE — AUGUST 2025: vThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is stepping up efforts to handle rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers. It has expanded the Electricity Demand Growth Hub, advanced clean energy projects such as the Savannah River Site RFQ, and launched AI-powered tools through the VoltAIc initiative. Together, these moves show measurable progress in connecting clean energy, grid resilience, and AI innovation to meet the nation’s growing power needs.
ORIGINAL NEWS STORY:
DOE Unveils New Resources to Meet Rising Electricity Demand Driven by AI and Manufacturing Boom
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a comprehensive suite of resources and programs to address surging electricity demand caused by expanding AI systems, data centers, and a manufacturing revival across the United States. This rising demand, viewed by the Biden-Harris Administration as a sign of economic strength, aligns with the nation’s broader push toward net-zero emissions.
The DOE’s new Electricity Demand Growth Hub offers tools and guidance to help utilities, data center operators, and other stakeholders manage this demand while maintaining reliability, affordability, and security. The initiative supports the administration’s Investing in America agenda, which seeks to drive a clean energy transition. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said, “A nation powered by clean energy is a goal being brought into reality by the Biden-Harris Administration as the country achieves a manufacturing boom not seen in decades and expands new industries, like data centers and AI.”
Addressing the Power Needs of AI and Data Centers
AI technologies have become a major driver of electricity use. To address this challenge, the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board issued the report Powering AI and Data Center Infrastructure, which lists 16 recommendations for meeting this rising demand. The report highlights AI model-training power requirements, grid flexibility, and energy-storage solutions needed to accommodate growth. In response, the DOE is strengthening partnerships across the public and private sectors. It is also expanding research programs to ensure that energy innovation and responsible AI development advance together.
Savannah River Site and the Cleanup to Clean Energy Initiative
One of the DOE’s most significant actions is the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Clean Energy Development at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. This project, part of the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative, seeks proposals capable of producing at least 200 megawatts (MW) of carbon-free electricity. Importantly, the DOE is encouraging proposals that include collocated loads, such as data centers. This approach ensures that clean-energy generation directly supports digital infrastructure while reducing carbon output.
Expanding Clean Energy Resources and Support
The DOE also issued a new Clean Energy Resources Guide, which compiles more than 30 programs and funding opportunities. These resources help utilities and data centers manage demand growth effectively. Furthermore, the guide explains how emerging technologies and coordinated planning can maintain grid stability throughout the clean-energy transition. In addition, the Pathways to Commercial Liftoff Topic Brief outlines how scaling clean-energy technologies—such as advanced grid systems and virtual power plants—can unlock hundreds of gigawatts of new capacity. Therefore, these strategies will be essential for balancing increased energy use from AI and manufacturing with environmental goals.
VoltAIc: AI Tools for Faster Energy Deployment
The DOE’s VoltAIc initiative is another key component of this effort. It focuses on developing AI-based tools that speed up energy project deployment. Already, the initiative has compiled a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) dataset and demonstrated how large language models can make the public-comment process faster, clearer, and more transparent. Meanwhile, the VoltAIc team continues to test additional AI applications that can cut permitting delays and improve coordination across agencies. As a result, the DOE expects to shorten project timelines and accelerate clean-energy adoption nationwide.
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