- Synergy forecasts total U.S. data center capacity will double within three years
- Nearly half of the world's pipeline of large future data centers is located in the U.S.
- About 45 gigawatts of new U.S. IT capacity is planned across 74 companies
U.S. data center capacity is on track to double over the next three years as operators race to meet surging demand for AI infrastructure, according to new research from Synergy Research Group. The firm's latest analysis indicates that growth will continue despite mounting obstacles tied to power availability and local resistance to new developments.
The biggest driver remains hyperscale operators, whose owned data center capacity is expected to double within just two years. Synergy said aggressive expansion by cloud and internet companies is underpinning a broad buildout of digital infrastructure across the country.
The research firm's known pipeline currently includes almost 1,500 future large data centers worldwide, with nearly half of those projects located in the United States. Collectively, those U.S. developments represent roughly 45 gigawatts of planned IT capacity from 74 companies expanding their data center footprints.
While hyperscalers are expected to account for most of the growth, Synergy said capacity additions will also come from colocation providers and enterprises. The firm noted that leasing arrangements between data center operators and hyperscalers, along with the emergence of neocloud providers, are helping fuel continued expansion.
At the same time, the industry continues to face growing headwinds. According to Synergy Chief Analyst John Dinsdale, limited power availability and increasing local concerns about data center development are affecting some projects and plans. However, he said booming demand is likely to keep developers pushing forward with new capacity investments.
Synergy expects the U.S. to remain the dominant global data center market over the next five years, accounting for well over half of the world's operational data center capacity. The firm said seven hyperscale companies are driving much of the current growth through the development of large AI-focused campuses, while dozens of other companies are also building major facilities across the country.