import streamlit as st import pandas as pd import numpy as np import plotly.graph_objects as go # --- Page Configuration --- st.set_page_config( page_title="US AI Emissions in 2030", page_icon="⚡", layout="wide" ) # --- Custom CSS --- st.markdown(""" """, unsafe_allow_html=True) # --- Title --- #st.title("🌍 The Climate Cost of the AI Race ⛽️") # --- Sidebar Inputs --- st.sidebar.markdown(""" **What will the US emissions of AI be in 2030?** Model the 3 variables below to see. """) st.sidebar.markdown('
', unsafe_allow_html=True) # 1. AI Power Demand st.sidebar.markdown('', unsafe_allow_html=True) ai_demand_gw = st.sidebar.number_input( "Demand (GW)", value=100, step=10, format="%d", label_visibility="collapsed" ) with st.sidebar.expander("More on AI Demand Forecasts"): st.markdown(""" Current forecasts vary wildly, suggesting US AI data centers will need anywhere from **50 GW to over 250 GW** in the coming decade.$^{1,2,3}$ * Epoch AI analysts currently project that **100 GW** is the best forecast for AI power demand by 2030, representing roughly **10% of America's total peak power capacity**, requiring growth rates not seen since the 1980s.$^{1}$ * Anthropic projects the U.S. AI sector needs at least **50 GW** by 2028 to maintain global leadership, which is roughly double the peak electricity demand of New York City.$^{2}$ * OpenAI leadership has indicated a desire for up to **250 GW** of power by 2033 to support future model scaling.$^{3}$ *Sources:* 1. [Epoch AI: America's AI Power Problem (Dec 2025)](https://epoch.ai/gradient-updates/is-almost-everyone-wrong-about-americas-ai-power-problem) 2. [Anthropic: Build AI in America (July 2025)](https://www.anthropic.com/news/build-ai-in-america) 3. [The Information: Sam Altman Wants 250 GW (2025)](https://www.theinformation.com/articles/sam-altman-wants-250-gigawatts-power-possible) """) st.sidebar.markdown('', unsafe_allow_html=True) # 2. Gas Share st.sidebar.markdown('', unsafe_allow_html=True) gas_share = st.sidebar.slider( "Gas Share", min_value=0, max_value=100, value=90, step=5, format="%d%%", label_visibility="collapsed" ) with st.sidebar.expander("More on Energy Mix"): st.markdown(""" **Why Gas?** The electric grid in major hubs like Texas is effectively "sold out," with wait times for connection approaching 5 years. To bypass this, AI labs are adopting "Bring Your Own Generation" (BYOG) strategies, primarily using natural gas which can be deployed in months rather than years. In fact, current projections suggest that **nearly a third of all new data center development will deploy behind-the-meter (BTM) gas generation** to circumvent these bottlenecks.$^{1,2}$ Even when projects connected to the grid, natural gas is the backbone of the US power system, accounting for approximately **43% of total utility-scale electricity generation** in 2023.$^{3,4}$ "Demand response" (or data center flexibility) could theoretically pull gigawatts "out of thin air" by matching AI training jobs to times when the grid has spare capacity.$^{5}$ However, many experts remain skeptical of the true magnitude of this solution, as large-scale implementation faces significant technical hurdles and pushback from major grid operators like PJM.$^{5,6}$ **What about Solar?** While solar prices have dropped ~88% since 2009, it faces physical limits. 2 GW of solar requires a land area roughly the size of Manhattan (approx. 60 km²). Solar requires massive battery storage for 24/7 reliability, adding complexity for off-grid "island" data centers that cannot draw on spare grid capacity at night.$^{5}$ *Sources:* 1. [Latitude Media (Jan 2026)](https://www.latitudemedia.com/news/what-the-michigan-stargate-site-says-about-todays-ai-market) 2. [JLL 2026 Global Data Center Outlook](https://www.jll.com/en-us/insights/market-outlook/data-center-outlook) 3. [U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/electricity-in-the-us.php) 4. [Ember Energy - U.S. Country Profile](https://ember-energy.org/countries-and-regions/united-states-of-america/) 5. [Epoch AI: America's AI Power Problem (Dec 2025)](https://epoch.ai/gradient-updates/is-almost-everyone-wrong-about-americas-ai-power-problem) 6. [Woodway Energy: Bridging the 5-Year Gap](https://www.woodwayenergy.com/off-grid-btm-gas-power-generation-data-centers/) """) st.sidebar.markdown('', unsafe_allow_html=True) # 3. Turbine Efficiency st.sidebar.markdown('', unsafe_allow_html=True) turbine_eff_percent = st.sidebar.slider( "Efficiency", min_value=35, max_value=60, value=45, step=1, format="%d%%", label_visibility="collapsed" ) with st.sidebar.expander("More on Turbine Tech"): st.markdown(""" **Trade-offs: Efficiency vs. Speed**: The efficiency of gas turbines, which determines their carbon emissions, varies from 35-60%. The most efficient, are, generally, the slowest to build. In frontier data centers, AI chips cost roughly 10x more than the power infrastructure, driving companies to prioritize deployment speed over energy efficiency. * **Aeroderivative (35-40%):** Modified jet engines (e.g., GE LM2500). They are less efficient but can be deployed in weeks via truck. xAI used these to bypass multi-year grid delays. * **Reciprocating Engines (40-50%):** Modular internal combustion engines (e.g., Wärtsilä). They maintain high efficiency even at partial loads, making them ideal for flexible "demand response" strategies. * **Combined Cycle (50-60%):** The gold standard, using waste heat to drive a steam turbine. However, lead times of **36-60 months** make them too slow for the current AI race. These are representative of utility-scale gas turbines. * **Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (50-55%):** (e.g., Bloom Energy). These offer high efficiency and fast deployment (no combustion permitting), but come with a high capital cost. [Source](https://open.substack.com/pub/semianalysis/p/how-ai-labs-are-solving-the-power) """) # Constants CAPACITY_FACTOR = 0.90 US_BASELINE_MMT = 4900 FUEL_CARBON_CONSTANT = 486 * 0.60 # --- Calculations --- # 1. Calculate Emissions Factor if turbine_eff_percent > 0: calculated_ef = FUEL_CARBON_CONSTANT / (turbine_eff_percent / 100) else: calculated_ef = 0 # 2. Calculate Total Energy gas_gw_capacity = ai_demand_gw * (gas_share/100) total_gwh = gas_gw_capacity * CAPACITY_FACTOR * 8760 # 3. Calculate Emissions (MMT CO2e) ai_emissions_mmt = (total_gwh * calculated_ef) / 1_000_000 percent_increase = (ai_emissions_mmt / US_BASELINE_MMT) * 100 # --- Dashboard Layout --- # 1. The Big Number c1, c2, c3 = st.columns([1, 2, 1]) with c2: st.markdown(f"""