EESI Impact 27 - November 2025 | Newsletter

Download this newsletter in PDF format

November 2025

What Happens at Climate Week NYC...

From EESI's President, Daniel Bresette

I went to Climate Week NYC for a few days in September. It was too much for one person to take in. But I still learned a lot from participating in some really good events and talking with some very insightful people. I thought you might be interested in a few takeaways related to the climate action you help make possible.

(And by “takeaways,” I mean “challenging questions that need to be answered to continue our work to advance climate solutions.”)

Following the (voluntary and involuntary) departures of so many federal employees, what should be prioritized when restaffing government agencies? How could EESI help Congress imagine an EPA 2.0, for example, that better serves frontline communities?
How can we maximize the value of nonpartisan, science–based Congressional education at a time defined by high-stakes politics and a lack of trust and interest in lawmaking? Could new partners leverage EESI’s work with policymakers and the media to forge durable, bipartisan solutions that might last long enough to deliver meaningful benefits to people?
Does all the energy—pun intended—generated during Climate Week stay in New York? Or does it make its way back to corporate boardrooms, state capitals, city halls, and Washington, D.C.?

What do you think? I would be really interested in hearing your feedback about this. You are, after all, tremendously important to us. How we answer these questions will determine how much we are able to accomplish together.

Thanks for your continued commitment.

New EESI Resources in Demand: AI and Data Centers

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the spread of data centers are making headlines. Congressional staff have asked EESI about these issues, so we have prioritized the development of briefings, articles, and other educational resources to answer their questions. More than 400 people watched EESI’s recent briefing about the energy and environmental implications of AI, which featured remarks from Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).

Data centers are large warehouses filled with racks of internet-connected servers. They power everything from Google searches to Netflix shows. As of March 2025, almost 5,500 data centers were operating in the United States.

Electricity demand from data centers is expected to increase to 130 gigawatts by 2030—enough to power almost 114 million homes for one year. About 56% of all electricity consumed by data centers is generated by power plants running on fossil fuels. And on top of that, data centers are massively thirsty. A large data center can consume up to five million gallons each day, the water use equivalent of a small city of 50,000 people.

Want to learn more? Check out EESI’s briefings, Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Energy and the Environment and Powering Up: Improving Energy Grid Reliability and Resilience to Lower Energy Bills.