As artificial intelligence fuels the expansion of data centers, communities are asking what these facilities will mean for their water supplies, electricity bills, and infrastructure. Can new cooling technologies and smarter investments help meet growing demand without compromising local resource security?
In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Gabriel Collins and Eric Willman examine how water and energy needs are interacting during this data-center boom. Building on discussions at Rice University’s Water Nexus Conference, they explore how cooling choices affect water consumption and electricity demand, how data-center developers could help strengthen local infrastructure, and why public skepticism extends beyond simple resource consumption.
This episode was recorded on Oct. 20, 2026.
Featured:
- Gabriel Collins, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/gabriel-collins
- Eric Willman, https://profiles.rice.edu/staff/eric-willman
Related Research:
- Gabe’s keynote slides from the Water Nexus Conference: https://tinyurl.com/42wvc2bc
- “Could the Permian Basin Become America’s Next AI Data Hub?”: https://tinyurl.com/3ehyfb8y
- Gabe’s chapter of “Energy Insights 2026”: https://tinyurl.com/2hzjxutw
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