US government to track data center energy use

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) plans to implement a mandatory survey to collect data on energy consumption from data centers. This initiative comes in response to growing concerns about the significant and increasing power demands of these facilities, particularly with the rise of AI and cloud computing. The EIA's move aims to provide a clearer picture of the energy footprint of the data center industry, which is crucial for energy policy planning and sustainability efforts. The mandatory assessment will require data centers to report their energy usage, offering valuable insights into this critical sector.