Global data center capacity could nearly double by 2030, driven by AI workloads that may account for half of all data center activity. ER Steel, a structural steel fabricator, argues the real bottleneck is not compute power but construction coordination, grid access delays (now exceeding four years in some markets), and long-term operational planning. Average build costs rose from $7.7M to $10.7M per megawatt between 2020 and 2025. ER Steel advocates for integrated engineering-fabrication-logistics management, modular prefabrication, diversified energy strategies including on-site generation and battery storage, and environmental stewardship around water and community impact as key pillars of responsible infrastructure development.
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