SHERIDAN, WYOMING – June 10, 2025 – As artificial intelligence reshapes modern industry, the rapid expansion of data centers is placing unprecedented stress on water resources and energy grids. Ecolab is calling for immediate adoption of smart water management and cooling efficiency strategies to ensure sustainable and scalable operations across the tech sector.
Driven by explosive demand for compute power, U.S. data center energy usage is forecasted to more than triple — from 25 GW in 2024 to over 80 GW by 2030, according to McKinsey. While AI’s digital transformation is widely celebrated, its physical footprint — including water consumption for cooling — remains largely unrecognized outside the tech industry.
Cooling Efficiency Is Critical to Sustainable Growth
Data centers house high-density computing infrastructure that generates massive heat loads. Water-based cooling remains the most efficient method, with 23.5 times greater performance compared to air-based systems. Ecolab works closely with data center operators to address water not merely as a utility, but as a strategic resource and a critical risk factor for long-term growth.
“Artificial intelligence is booming everywhere. We love its transformational power, but it’s using a lot of water and energy,” said Nevin Sant, global vice president of Research and Development, Light Industries, Ecolab. “We have an urgent challenge to integrate smart water management solutions and cooling efficiency into data center operations now — addressing both direct and indirect power and water use — or we’ll be faced with serious consequences in the future.”
“Cooling efficiency is the biggest factor we are focused on right now. Managing thermal demand is critical to control total power and water consumption,” Nevin Sant said. “We’re rolling out an innovation strategy including coolant, digital and monitoring processes along with our onsite services to help companies address cooling efficiency and better position themselves to manage energy demands.”
Ecolab’s outcome-based approach combines real-time monitoring technologies, advanced coolant programs, and expert onsite service to optimize thermal management. The strategy aims to maximize uptime while reducing power draw, enabling more energy to be directed toward core computing operations.
Confronting Power Supply Constraints
Beyond cooling, data centers also face intensifying pressure on power availability. McKinsey estimates that data centers could account for 11–12% of total U.S. electricity usage by 2030, up from 3–4% today.
“Most companies don’t have a clear power generation strategy. There is simply not enough power. They are scrambling to mitigate the issue by turning to large-scale renewable projects, like solar, or returning to nuclear energy,” Nevin Sant explained. “This is not a looming threat — this scenario is happening now.”
Recognizing the interdependence of water and energy, Ecolab helps customers implement circular resource management practices — minimizing waste while preserving uptime and performance.
Wider Impact Across the Industrial Landscape
The consequences of AI’s resource demands extend across the technology value chain. Escalating competition for water, energy, and infrastructure is already influencing operational costs and long-term planning for companies in numerous industries.
“Companies are trying to figure out how to keep up, but at some point, we’re going to plateau —and those who waited will be stuck,” Sant said. “They’ll be locked into infrastructure that wasn’t designed for efficiency, and it’ll cost a lot more to retrofit it later. That’s why the time to act is now.”
Ecolab’s smart water management framework empowers companies to move proactively. Drawing on deep industry expertise and technology solutions, the company helps businesses respond to today’s resource constraints with innovation and resilience. As Sant concluded: “There’s no reason to wait. The sooner we can get ahead of this, the better positioned companies will be.”
Learn more at https://www.ecolab.com