Data Centers

Environmental and health concerns about data centers have prompted pauses across Colorado.

Coal-fired power generation jumped 13% in the U.S. last year, according to a recent report from the federal Energy Information Administration. That helped push carbon emissions from the power sector up about 4% — the first rise after years of declining emissions.

Boulder City appeals a decision by the Bureau of Land Management which approved a data center without its involvement

Environmental groups in New Mexico say those efforts are not enough

We dig into the amount of energy that large data centers consume, and why Longmont leaders passed the new ordinance.

The City of Denver along with other Colorado and Idaho counties have passed moratoriums on data center development. Cheyenne, Wyoming, opted to speed ahead.

Budget pressures, policy compromises and intraparty tensions shaped this year’s session under Colorado’s Gold Dome.

Sponsors added a tax incentive but it was not enough to get the bill passed.

A compromise bill backed by environmental groups is still being negotiated.

Data centers are pivotal to artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Some Colorado lawmakers say the state needs more data centers – and that they could generate jobs and tax revenue. But data centers also consume huge amounts of energy and water. Do the future benefits outweigh the costs?