Power & Renewables

Site unseen: Where will all these data centers be built?

Hidden in plain sight, parcels pave the way as EIR maps possible locations, developer efficiency, regional targets and capacity estimates from owned acreage analysis

byEnverus

CALGARY, Alberta (April 30, 2025) — Enverus Intelligence® Research (EIR), a subsidiary of Enverus, the most trusted energy-dedicated SaaS company that leverages generative AI across its solutions, has released a report analyzing connections between data center developers and landowners. The report evaluates the capacity potential of data center buildouts across the Lower 48, highlighting developer efficiency, targeted regions and capacity estimates based on owned acreage. Additionally, the report provides insights into developer strategies, including land acquisition patterns and investments in large plots for hyperscale projects.

“With 80,000 acres owned by data center developers and their partners, and 65,000 of those acres buildable, we’re looking at a future where data center capacity can expand significantly across key regions, driving technological growth and innovation,” said EIR Associate Adam Robinson.

“The report reveals that the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM) leads in data center development potential with 35.7 gigawatts of equivalent acreage, followed by the WEST region with 25 gigawatts, with hyperscalers placing a large focus on these regions,” Robinson said.

Key takeaways from the report:

  • EIR identifies 117 GW of data center capacity potential in the Lower 48, based on the ownership of 80,000 acres of land held by developers and their affiliates.
  • Subsidiaries of Meta, Amazon, Microsoft and Google have capacity potentials ranging from 4.6 to 17 GW, with land inventories that last between five and 21 years, based on their 2024 development pace before needing to acquire more land.
  • Acreage in the PJM is primarily owned by hyperscalers, while co-location developers hold strategic positions in Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and Southeast (SE). PJM leads in overall development potential with 35.7 GW of equivalent acreage, followed by WEST with 25.0 GW.

Members of EIR will present these findings at EVOLVE 2025, a conference where visionaries converge to shape the future of energy. The conference will be held May 12-15, 2025, at the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston (1600 Lamar St, Houston, TX 77010).

You must be an Enverus Intelligence® subscriber to access this report.

About Enverus Intelligence® Research
Enverus Intelligence ® | Research, Inc. (EIR) is a subsidiary of Enverus that publishes energy-sector research focused on the oil, natural gas, power and renewable industries. EIR publishes reports including asset and company valuations, resource assessments, technical evaluations and macro-economic forecasts; and helps make intelligent connections for energy industry participants, service companies and capital providers worldwide. Enverus is the most trusted, energy-dedicated SaaS company, with a platform built to create value from generative AI, offering real-time access to analytics, insights and benchmark cost and revenue data sourced from our partnerships to 95% of U.S. energy producers, and more than 40,000 suppliers. Learn more at Enverus.com.

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