A new PwC report commissioned by the Data Center Coalition (DCC) reveals the substantial impact of the US data centre industry on the national economy between 2017-2021, adding US$2.1 trillion to the US.
The industry has emerged as a catalyst for economic growth positively influencing several other aspects of the US economy, including employment, labour income and tax contributions to federal, state and local governments.
Based on the study, Economic, Environmental, and Social Impacts of Data Centers in the United States, the US data centre industry witnessed a significant 17% growth in direct employment from 2017 to 2021. In comparison, overall US employment increased by only 2% during the same period. The data centre industry made significant tax contributions to federal, state and local governments, totalling US$403.5 billion from 2017 to 2021 due to direct, indirect and induced impacts. Further proving the industry’s growing contributions to the economy, the industry’s total contribution to US government revenues at the federal, state and local levels increased by 50% between 2017-2021.
“There is unprecedented demand for digital services from individuals and organisations of all sizes and industries, including telehealth, video conferencing, e-commerce, government services, education and entertainment,” said Allison Gilmore, Vice President of DCC. “As a result of this demand, the data centre industry is rapidly growing. This report shows that the benefits provided by the data centre industry go far beyond serving the increasing digital data demands of our daily lives. Data centres are now essential infrastructure, enabling advancements throughout our modern digital economy.”
As our lives become increasingly digital, the data century industry is rising to fulfil the surge in demand while driving innovations in energy efficiency and sustainability. Leading data centre companies have made commitments to purchase clean energy and invested heavily to bring new clean energy solutions onto the electrical grid, accelerating the clean energy transition and making the industry one of the largest purchasers of sustainable power in the US.
In addition, data centre companies nationwide are actively investing in their local communities by supporting programmes for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education and workforce development, volunteering with neighbourhood organisations, enhancing connectivity in rural areas and undertaking various other beneficial initiatives.
PwC conducted a thorough analysis that gauges the economic, environmental and social impact of the US data centre industry from 2017-2021. This evaluation spans both the national level and three specific states – Arizona, Ohio and Virginia – selected for their significance to the data centre industry and diverse market sizes. The report further investigates the industry’s environmental and social contributions through surveys among DCC members.
