Renewable Energy Advocates Push Back Against Gas-powered AI

WHO:

ABC News - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is involved in legislation regarding data centers.

ABC News - State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat, authored the bill requiring renewable energy benchmarks.

ABC News - Bob Jenks is the executive director of the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board.

ABC News - California state Sen. John Padilla sponsored a bill in California.

AP News - Greg Robinson is associated with Aston Power, a firm that procures power for data centers.

AP News - Nidhi Thaker is the senior vice president of policy at the Corporate Energy Buyers Association (CEBA).

WHAT:

ABC News - Legislation would require data centers over a certain size to meet renewable energy benchmarks starting in 2030 and achieve at least 90% renewable energy by 2040.

ABC News - Michigan, Oregon, and Minnesota enacted laws to ensure electric utilities use only emissions-free energy sources by 2040.

ABC News - Michigan requires hyperscale data centers to meet a clean energy requirement of 90% within six years to access a sales tax exemption.

AP News - Some data centers consume more energy than a mid-size city.

AP News - The AI boom has led to the largest construction boom of natural gas-fired power plants.

AP News - Google is investing billions into zero-emissions projects including solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear, and battery storage.

AP News - Xcel Energy was ordered to create a program allowing big power users to build clean energy projects that can connect to the grid.

WHERE:

ABC News - The legislation is in New York.

ABC News - Michigan, Oregon, and Minnesota are mentioned as states with new laws.

AP News - Colorado regulators ordered Xcel Energy to create a program for clean energy projects.

AP News - Google has agreements approved or under consideration in eight states, including Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and South Carolina.

WHEN:

ABC News - The renewable energy benchmarks for data centers are set to start in 2030 and require 90% renewable energy by 2040.

ABC News - Michigan's clean energy requirement for hyperscale data centers must be met within six years.

AP News - The agreement with NV Energy was approved last year.

WHY:

ABC News - Lawmakers aim to prevent data centers from hindering climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

AP News - The explosive energy demand of artificial intelligence is driving the need for more energy sources.

HOW:

ABC News - Environmental advocates and corporations are using regulatory levers to push utilities for cleaner energy sources.

AP News - Utilities are being convinced that connecting new power sources will not threaten their bottom lines.

(UPDATED July 12, 2026 01:22 UTC)

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is currently involved in legislation that would require data centers over a certain size to meet renewable energy benchmarks starting in 2030, aiming for at least 90% renewable energy by 2040. This initiative aligns with similar laws enacted in Michigan, Oregon, and Minnesota, where Michigan mandates that hyperscale data centers must meet a clean energy requirement of 90% within six years to qualify for a sales tax exemption. The push for these regulations is driven by lawmakers' efforts to prevent data centers from hindering climate goals and the increasing energy demands fueled by the AI boom.