Ready to build next-gen clean-energy infrastructure —data centers included | OPINION

Nate Bernstein, executive director of Climate Jobs Colorado, and Jason Wardrip, business manager for the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council, have penned an opinion piece for Colorado Politics urging the state to lead in the responsible development of data centers. The authors argue that while data centers are essential to the modern economy and are expected to triple in capacity demand nationwide by 2030, Colorado must direct this growth sustainably rather than merely react to it. They propose a path forward that aligns with Colorado's values: economic opportunity, strong labor standards, and environmental stewardship. The authors highlight that a single large data center can generate thousands of construction jobs and ripple effects across the economy, including the need for new transmission lines, substations, and renewable energy generation. They advocate for legislative requirements mandating strong labor standards, such as prevailing wages and apprenticeship training, to ensure these economic benefits support Colorado workers. Furthermore, Bernstein and Wardrip emphasize the importance of protecting Colorado's natural resources. They recommend requiring data centers seeking state incentives to meet strict energy-efficiency standards, including certifications like LEED or Energy Star, and to implement closed-loop cooling systems or other technologies that significantly reduce water usage. They also suggest that data centers can accelerate the clean-energy transition by providing long-term energy purchases for wind, solar, and energy storage projects. The authors conclude that by setting high standards, Colorado can demonstrate that data centers can grow responsibly without shifting electricity costs onto everyday families, ultimately achieving a win for workers, communities, and the environment.