Survey: Data Center Developers Lean Toward Onsite Power

More data center leaders are reducing their reliance on utility grids by investing in onsite power for rapidly scaling data centers, with about one-third of data centers expected to use 10% onsite power by 2030, San Jose-based Bloom Energy reported. The firm’s latest Data Center Power Report also shows that power availability is driving data center development decisions as the industry moves into a new set of power-friendly regions, suggesting a significant structural market shift for “AI factories” and other high-density data centers.

Accordingly, Bloom Energy said power availability is creating new geographic winners and losers for data center development. Texas is poised to capture nearly 30% of U.S. data center market share by 2028, while Georgia’s market share is expected to grow by 75% (from 4% of the total data center market to 7%) as developers expand deeper into the Southeast. Conversely, California, Oregon, Iowa, and Nebraska’s respective relative market shares are expected to drop by more than 50%.

“Data center and AI factory developers can’t afford delays. Our analysis and survey results show that they’re moving into power‑advantaged regions where capacity can be secured faster—and increasingly designing campuses to operate independently of the grid,” said Natalie Sunderland, Bloom Energy’s chief marketing officer. “The surge in AI demand creates a clear opportunity for states that can adapt to support large-scale AI deployments at speed.”

Digital transformation and the explosive growth of AI are driving unprecedented energy demands in data centers across North America. That’s why every energy investor, vendor, and provider needs to attend Connect North American Investment in Digital Infrastructure & AI in Montreal on February 11. With speakers from BluWave-ai, Hydrogen Energy Research Center, Vantage Data Centers, AVAIO Capital, and more, this is the premier gathering for those shaping the future of energy and technology. This event is your gateway to connect directly with industry leaders, discover the latest opportunities, and gain valuable insights into powering next-generation digital infrastructure. Register today at www.connectdigitalai2026.com