HARRISBURG, Pa. – As the explosive energy demand of artificial intelligence spurs a renaissance for fossil fuels, renewable energy allies are trying to ensure that massive data centers will be powered by climate-friendly sources, too.
Lawmakers in states with stronger climate policies don’t want data centers to hinder their goal of slashing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
kAmx? @E96C DE2E6D[ 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 25G@42E6D 2?5 4@CA@C2E:@?D H:E9 4=62? 6?6C8J 8@2=D 2C6 H@C<:?8 C68F=2E@CJ =6G6CD E@ AFD9 >@?@A@=J FE:=:E:6D E92E 9:DE@C:42==J 4@?EC@= E96 6?6C8J DFAA=J 2?5 8C:5 2446DD]k^Am
kAm%96 AC@3=6> 4=62? 6?6C8J AC@A@?6?ED 2C6 4@?7C@?E:?8 😀 E92E E649 8:2?ED 2C6 56>2?5:?8 A@H6C 2E DF49 DA665 2?5 D42=6 — D@>6 52E2 46?E6CD 4@?DF>6 >@C6 6?6C8J E92? 2 >:5\D:K6 4:EJ — E92E E96 4@?DECF4E:@? @7 H:?5 2?5 D@=2C D:>A=J 42?VE <66A FA]k^Am
kAmpD 2 C6DF=E[ E96 px 3@@> 92D D6E 😕 >@E:@? E96 3:886DE\6G6C 4@?DECF4E:@? 3@@> @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2:\?2EFC2=\82D\A@H6C\A=2?ED\6?6C8J\6=64EC:4:EJ\4=:>2E6\52E2\e7h4a`dd443ha4de7d7ddf7gb_g4ac`4Qm?2EFC2= 82D\7:C65 A@H6C A=2?EDk^2m[ ?@E E@ >6?E:@? >@G6D 3J FE:=:E:6D[ A@H6C A=2?E @H?6CD 2?5 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E E@ <66A k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^ECF>A\4=:>2E6\4@2=\C6G:G2=\hcc_72cc25g7_446_67d_3aa6__425g6Qm28:?8 4@2=\7:C65 A@H6C A=2?EDk^2m @A6C2E:?8 A2DE E96:C AC6G:@FD=J D4965F=65 C6E:C6>6?E 52E6D]k^Am
kAm{68:D=2E:@? @? E96 56D< @7 }6H *@C< v@G] z2E9J w@49F= H@F=5 C6BF:C6 52E2 46?E6CD @G6C 2 46CE2:? D:K6 E@ >66E C6?6H23=6 6?6C8J 36?49>2C C6?6H23=6 6?6C8:6D] %96 3:==VD 2FE9@C[ DE2E6 $6?] zC:DE6? v@?K2=6K[ 2 s6>@4C2E[ D2:5 E96 E2C86ED 2C6 C62=:DE:4]k^Am
kAm“(6 2C6 =:E6C2==J E2=<:?8 23@FE E96 H62=E9:6DE 4@>A2?:6D 😕 E96 H@C=5 E92E 2C6 =@@<:?8 E@ 3F:=5 😕 }6H *@C< DE2E6[ 2?5 :7 E96J 92G6 E96 C6D@FC46D E@ AFE 3:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD :?E@ 52E2 46?E6C 56G6=@A>6?E[ E96? E96J 46CE2:?=J D9@F=5 92G6 E96 C6D@FC46D E@ 3F:=5 @FE C6?6H23=6 6?6C8J D@FC46D E@ A@H6C E96>[” v@?K2=6K E@=5 %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8m(@CC:6D E92E pxVD 6?6C8J 56>2?5D H:== D4FEE=6 4=:>2E6 8@2=Dk^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAm|:49:82?[ ~C68@? 2?5 |:??6D@E2 =65 E96 H2J[ 6?24E:?8 =2HD 😕 E96 =2DE `g >@?E9D 56D:8?65 E@ AC@E64E E96:C AC6\6I:DE:?8 C6BF:C6>6?ED E92E 6=64EC:4 FE:=:E:6D FD6 @?=J 6>:DD:@?D\7C66 6?6C8J D@FC46D 3J a_c_]k^Am
kAm“%92E’D 2 492==6?8:?8 E9:?8 E@ >66E H:E9 E96 52E2 46?E6CD[” D2:5 q@3 y6?66E H:E9@FE E96 52E2 46?E6CD]”k^Am
kAm|:??6D@E2 2?5 ~C68@? @C56C65 C68F=2E@CD E@ 6?DFC6 E92E E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2CE:7:4:2=\:?E6==:86?46\6?6C8J\E6I2D\@9:@\A6??DJ=G2?:2\76C4\52E2\46?E6CD\d_e`7ea2d_cahf3e4bgc66d`b24cfhagQm6?6C8J E92E DFAA=:6D 52E2 46?E6CDk^2m 😀 😕 =:?6 H:E9 E96:C 6>:DD:@?D\C65F4E:@? 8@2=D[ H9:=6 |:49:82? C6BF:C65 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6CD E@ >66E 2 4=62? 6?6C8J C6BF:C6>6?E — h_T H:E9:? D:I J62CD — E@ 2446DD :ED =F4C2E:G6 D2=6D E2I 6I6>AE:@?]k^Am
kAmq:==D H:E9 D:>:=2C AC@G:D:@?D 6>6C865 😕 >@C6 E92? 2 92=7\5@K6? DE2E6D[ :?4=F5:?8 r2=:7@C?:2[ x==:?@:D[ }6H y6CD6J[ !6??DJ=G2?:2 2?5 ‘:C8:?:2]k^Am
kAm“(6 ;FDE 42?’E 5@ 3FD:?6DD 2D FDF2= H:E9 2 56>2?5 2E E9:D D42=6 2?5 724:=:E:6D @7 E9:D D42=6 3642FD6 E96 :>A24ED 2C6 >2DD:G6[” r2=:7@C?:2 DE2E6 $6?] y@9? !25:==2[ H9@ DA@?D@C65 2 3:== 😕 9:D DE2E6[ E@=5 E96 p!]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8m!FD9:?8 FE:=:E:6D E@ 6IA2?5 2446DD E@ E96 A@H6C 8C:5k^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAmp=@?8 H:E9 82D AC@;64ED[ E649 8:2?ED =:<6 v@@8=6 2C6 :?G6DE:?8 3:==:@?D :?E@ E96:C @H? K6C@\6>:DD:@?D AC@;64ED =:<6 D@=2C[ H:?5[ 86@E96C>2=[ ?F4=62C @C 32EE6CJ DE@C286]k^Am
kAm%649 8:2?ED @7E6? 7:?5 E96>D6=G6D 4@?7C@?E65 H:E9 FE:=:E:6D E92E 42?VE AC@>AE=J DFAA=J E96 <:?5 @7 A@H6C E96J ?665] $@ E96J — 2=@?8 H:E9 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 8C@FAD[ 6?6C8J 6?EC6AC6?6FCD 2?5 3FD:?6DD 2DD@4:2E:@?D — 2C6 ECJ:?8 E@ A6CDF256 C68F=2E@CD E@ 6IA2?5 2446DD E@ E96 8C:5[ :?4=F5:?8 😕 DE2E6D H96C6 =68:D=2E@CD 2C6 2G6CD6 E@ 4=62? 6?6C8J >2?52E6D]k^Am
kAmvC68 #@3:?D@?[ H9@D6 #2=6:89[ }@CE9 r2C@=:?2\32D65 7:C> pDE@? !@H6C 96=AD AC@4FC6 A@H6C 7@C 52E2 46?E6CD 2?5 @E96C 3:8 6?6C8J FD6CD[ =:<6?65 :E E@ E96 8C@HE9 @7 u65tI H96? E96 3FD:?6DD H@C=5 564:565 E92E E96 &]$] !@DE2= $6CG:46 H2D E@@ D=@H]k^Am
kAm“%96? 3FD:?6DD D2:5[ ‘w6J H6’C6 5@:?8 >@C6 E9:?8D ?@H[ E96 A@DE2= D6CG:46 😀 ?@E <66A:?8 FA D@ >2J36 E96C6’D 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C 2 ?6H D6CG:46[’” #@3:?D@? D2:5]k^Am
kAm!2CE @7 E96 6I6C4:D6 92D 366? 4@?G:?4:?8 FE:=:E:6D — H9:49 AC@7:E 3J 3F:=5:?8 A@H6C A=2?ED 2?5 EC2?D>:DD:@? :?7C2DECF4EFC6 — E92E E9:D H@?VE E9C62E6? E96:C 3@EE@> =:?6D[ 4=62? 6?6C8J 25G@42E6D D2J]k^Am
kAmu@C @?6[ FE:=:E:6D H:== 86E E@ 4@??64E 2 A@H6C D@FC46 E92E E96J 5@?VE 92G6 E@ 492C86 4FDE@>6CD 7@C[ 6DA64:2==J 2E 2 E:>6 H96? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^a_ae\6=64E:@?\FE:=:EJ\3:==D\2:\52E2\46?E6CD\`bf_b7e`5`bhfe`a75_ef6eh3h_hb“eQm6=64EC:4:EJ 3:==D 2C6 C:D:?8k^2m BF:4<=J 😕 >2?J FE:=:EJ E6CC:E@C:6D]k^Am
kAm&E:=:E:6D 2=D@ 86E 2 =2C86[ =@?8\E6C> 6?6C8J 4FDE@>6C E92E A2JD E96> E@ 6IA2?5 E96 8C:5[ :?DE625 @7 H2E49:?8 3:8 4FDE@>6CD 3F:=5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A@H6C\6=64EC:4:EJ\2:\A@H6C\A=2?ED\52E2\46?E6CD\8C:5\e7da6e_4chac7ebc2a`73d7bd5eg7ah3QmDE2?52=@?6 A@H6C D@FC46Dk^2m]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8m#68F=2E@CD 2C6 8C66?=:89E:?8 C6?6H23=6 6?6C8J AC@;64EDk^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAm{2DE J62C[ 4=62? 6?6C8J 25G@42E6D A6CDF2565 r@=@C25@ C68F=2E@CD E@ @C56C E96 DE2E6VD =2C86DE 6=64EC:4 FE:=:EJ[ )46= t?6C8J[ E@ 4C62E6 2 AC@8C2> E@ =6E 3:8 A@H6C FD6CD 3F:=5 4=62? 6?6C8J AC@;64ED E92E 42? 36 4@??64E65 E@ E96 8C:5]k^Am
kAmx? 2? pAC:= C68F=2E@CJ 7:=:?8[ )46= t?6C8J D2:5 :E 28C665 E92E 2 AC@8C2> 4@F=5 36?67:E 4FDE@>6CD[ 2?5 4:E65 EH@ v@@8=6 AC@;64ED — @?6 😕 }6G252 E@ 4@??64E “d >682H2EED @7 86@E96C>2= 6?6C8J 2?5 2?@E96C 😕 |:??6D@E2 E@ 4@??64E `[h__ >682H2EED @7 H:?5[ D@=2C 2?5 32EE6CJ DE@C286 — E92E H6C6 2AAC@G65 E9C@F89 D:>:=2C AC@8C2>D]k^Am
kAm$E:==[ 2 7:89E @G6C 9@H )46= t?6C8J H2?ED E@ 56D:8? E96 AC@8C2> =@@>D H:E9 4=62? 6?6C8J 25G@42E6D 😕 7C@?E @7 DE2E6 C68F=2E@CD]k^Am
kAmv@@8=6VD 28C66>6?E H:E9 }’ t?6C8J[ }6G252VD =2C86DE 7@C\AC@7:E FE:=:EJ[ C646:G65 2AAC@G2= 7C@> C68F=2E@CD =2DE J62C 2?5 😀 H:56=J G:6H65 2D E96 7:CDE @7 :ED <:?5] v@@8=6 D2JD :E ?@H 92D D:>:=2C 4@?46AED 2AAC@G65 @C F?56C 4@?D:56C2E:@? 😕 6:89E @E96C DE2E6D[ :?4=F5:?8 x?5:2?2[ z2?D2D[ |:DD@FC: 2?5 $@FE9 r2C@=:?2]k^Am
kAm%96 r@CA@C2E6 t?6C8J qFJ6CD pDD@4:2E:@? — H9@D6 >6>36CD :?4=F56 E649 8:2?ED 2?5 =2C86 4@CA@C2E:@?D — 92>>6C65 @FE 2? 28C66>6?E H:E9 v6@C8:2 !@H6C[ 2AAC@G65 3J DE2E6 C68F=2E@CD E96C6 62C=:6C E9:D J62C[ E@ 2==@H E96:C >6>36CD E@ 3F:=5 4=62? 6?6C8J D@FC46D 2?5 4@??64E E96> E@ E96 8C:5]k^Am
kAm%96J 2C6 ?@H D66<:?8 D@>6E9:?8 D:>:=2C 😕 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2]k^Am
kAm“%96D6 :??@G2E:@?D 2C6 24EF2==J D@>6 @7 E96 >@DE :?4C65:3=6 2?5 F?56CDE2E65 :??@G2E:@?D H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ D66 😕 C68F=2E@CJ 2?5 6?6C8J AC@4FC6>6?E[” }:59: %92<6C[ rtqpVD D6?:@C G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 A@=:4J[ E@=5 E96 p!] “p?5 x E9:?< E96 24E:@?D E92E 2C6 36:?8 E2<6? C:89E ?@H 2C6 24EF2==J 8@:?8 E@ D6E 6?6C8J A@=:4J 7@C E96 ?6IE EH@ E@ E9C66 564256D]”k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmu@==@H |2C4 {6GJ 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^EH:EE6C]4@>^E:>6=JHC:E6C]Qm9EEAi^^EH:EE6C]4@>^E:>6=JHC:E6Ck^2mk^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.