Data Center Knowledge
Summary
Unison Energy, a Connecticut-based Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) developer backed by Tiger Infrastructure Partners, is positioning itself at the center of the power crunch facing AI infrastructure. The company builds, owns, and operates behind-the-meter generation systems – primarily natural gas-based combined heat and power (CHP) and microgrids – for large energy users across North America.
On-site power is moving from a workaround to a default design choice. US data centers used about 176 TWh in 2023 (4.4% of total electricity demand) and could reach 325-580 TWh by 2028 – up to 12% of US load – according to the US Department of Energy. Interconnection queues now total more than 2 TW of generation capacity awaiting approval, underscoring how far new supply lags demand, according to RMI.
That mismatch is already reshaping how projects get built: instead of waiting for grid upgrades, developers are increasingly building power alongside compute – using on-site generation to secure capacity early, then layering in grid supply later if and when it arrives.
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