HARC’s team explores how the rapid growth of digital infrastructure is affecting Texas’ resources, such as water and energy demands, and local communities. Our analyses look at trends in data center development, resource use, and planning policies to better understand where gaps exist and what they mean for the state’s future. By combining research with practical insights and solutions, our data center body of work aims to inform smarter planning, more resilient resource management, and communities across Texas.
As Texas’ data center industry grows, so does its demand on the state’s limited water resources, often in ways that remain largely unseen. In Thirsty Data and the Lone Star State: The Impact of Data Center Growth on Texas’ Water Supply, HARC examines how current and projected data center growth could place increasing pressure on Texas’ water supply and why existing planning processes may be falling short. The paper offers practical, forward-looking recommendations to help Texas support its digital economy while protecting water resources for the future.
Texas is quickly becoming a hub for data centers, which is reshaping the state’s economy—and placing new demands on its electric grid and natural resources. In Powering Texas’ Digital Economy: Data Centers and the Future of the Grid, HARC and the University of Houston Energy examine how data center expansion could affect electricity demand, water use, and land development across Texas. The two-part policy brief offers practical solutions to help decisionmakers support digital growth while maintaining grid reliability and long-term sustainability.
White paper coming soon.
