Data Centers Turn to Onsite Power

Developers in the United States are increasingly using onsite power generation to address community opposition to new data centers. Between 2023 and the first quarter of 2025, roughly $64 billion in data center projects faced delays or were blocked due to concerns about grid strain, noise, and environmental impact.

Many companies now bring their own power, or BYOP, to lessen the burden on existing infrastructure and lower costs for ratepayers. Traditional onsite solutions like turbines often fail to fully resolve community concerns about emissions and noise.

ERock systems, using pipeline-connected natural gas reciprocating engines, offer a potentially cleaner alternative. These engines produce up to 99% lower emissions than diesel and operate at about 68.5 dBA—similar to restaurant noise—while requiring no water for cooling. ERock reports dispatching systems in support of the grid over 200,000 times since 2019, though the long-term effects of widespread adoption remain to be seen.