Speaker: Shannon Bragg-Sitton, associate laboratory director, Idaho National Library
The United States is experiencing its first major increase in electricity demand since 2007. By 2030, data centers—driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and rapid digitalization—are projected to represent 12% of national electricity consumption, tripling their current share.Additional factors such as widespread electrification, the resurgence of domestic manufacturing, and the growing need for U.S.-based processing of critical minerals could contribute up to 150 GW of additional demand. Addressing this surge requires a strategic and balanced energy portfolio comprising nuclear, fossil fuels, geothermal, hydropower, biomass, and renewables. This presentation will examine how national laboratories are working to meet these challenges, with a particular focus on Idaho National Laboratory’s Energy Technology Proving Ground, which integrates a variety of technologies within an innovative systems testbed