Benefits Beyond Connectivity

Data centers are proving to be a powerful economic engine for Pennsylvania communities, offering meaningful benefits to local residents. This type of stable, long-term investment can be transformative, providing a new economic anchor and helping communities build sustainable futures. The tax revenue generated is especially striking, with proposed projects capable of doubling a township’s operating budget and expanding public services without raising taxes on residents. Many developers are also funding new energy generation entirely through private capital — not ratepayers — helping reduce grid congestion and ensuring residents maintain access to affordable power. Data center development is expected to generate billions of dollars in economic activity and tax revenue, making it a compelling opportunity for Pennsylvania communities looking to grow and thrive.

The job creation potential of data centers in Pennsylvania is substantial and wide-ranging. Studies show that the fast-growing sector could inject roughly $12 billion into the state’s annual economy and support about 19,400 jobs by 2036 — a total that blends a years-long construction surge with thousands of permanent operations roles across the commonwealth. The decade-long buildout is expected to support about 8,500 skilled construction jobs each year and create nearly 8,300 permanent operations positions. The benefits extend well beyond the data halls themselves — each direct data center job supports six additional jobs in industries including construction, maintenance, and local services, spreading opportunity throughout surrounding communities. Pennsylvania’s manufacturing strength and energy resources give it a unique edge, with supply-chain and factory jobs serving as a major avenue for spreading economic benefits broadly across the state. For Pennsylvania workers, local manufacturers and tradespeople are already gearing up for the work, positioning the commonwealth as a leading destination for the skilled jobs powering the next generation of digital infrastructure.

Keeping data centers on American soil is critical to our national security. In addition to securing our sensitive information in the United States, data centers also provide the digital infrastructure that ensures U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence and other cutting edge technologies that are essential to our economic competitiveness and national security.

Data centers are critical infrastructure enabling America’s technological and environmental future.

As the United States advances toward a clean energy economy, the nation is embracing transformative technologies—electric vehicles, efficient heat pumps, smart appliances, and renewable energy systems—all of which depend on the robust digital infrastructure that data centers provide. This infrastructure is not merely supportive; it is foundational to our economic transformation.

Data centers power the digitization of every sector of our economy, from healthcare and education to manufacturing and agriculture. They enable the widespread electrification of vehicles and buildings, reducing our carbon footprint while improving efficiency. They support the reshoring of advanced manufacturing, bringing jobs and production capacity back to American soil. They make possible the growth of controlled environment agriculture, which uses precision technology to produce food more sustainably. And they provide the computational backbone for artificial intelligence, clean energy grid management, and the countless innovations that will define 21st century economic competitiveness.

Data centers are highly energy-efficient facilities that help enable energy savings for homes and businesses. The industry prioritizes reducing energy use and increasing efficiency and facilities are designed to optimize efficiencies from day one.

In fact, while data center computing workloads increased nearly 550 percent between 2010 and 2018, electricity consumption grew only six percent, due to efficiencies from the cloud migration, improvements in cooling systems, and other operational and technological efficiency gains at modern data centers.

Source: Data Center Knowledge, “Study Data Centers Responsible for 1 Percent of ALl Electricity Consumed Worldwide”, February 2020.

Data centers are some of the largest buyers of clean energy, contributing to our collective sustainability goals. The data center industry has accelerated the economy-wide transition to clean energy and has created demand for more clean energy in the regions where they operate.

Data centers accelerate the clean energy transition in the U.S. with commitments to purchase clean energy and by funding the development of new sources of clean energy. In fact, wind and solar capacity contracted to data center providers and customers represented two-thirds of the total U.S. corporate renewables market last year and four of the top five purchasers of renewable energy in the U.S. are companies that operate data centers. Many data center companies have committed to being carbon neutral and supporting their operations with 100% clean energy by 2030.

The impact of data centers extends far beyond their physical infrastructure. These facilities create high-quality jobs with competitive wages, generating substantial tax revenue that supports local schools, emergency services, and community programs. They partner with local businesses during development to service providers for ongoing operations which strengthens the regional economy. Data centers also invest in community initiatives, supporting workforce development programs, educational partnerships with local schools and colleges, and infrastructure improvements that benefit all residents.

Through their commitment to sustainability, they drive innovation in renewable energy adoption and water conservation, setting new standards for responsible operations. By choosing to locate in Pennsylvania, data centers demonstrate a long-term commitment to being good neighbors—contributing to the economic vitality, educational opportunities, and quality of life that make Pennsylvania communities thrive.

Data center operators, their employees, and their tenants are committed to giving back to the communities where their teams live and work.

Many data center owners and operators have developed programs within their communities to support academic achievement, grow the data center workforce, and strengthen digital and energy infrastructure. Companies that own, operate, and manage data centers also financially contribute to non-profits that support the local community, contribute time and talent, and engage in community service.

Data centers also benefit local schools and educational institutions in their communities by supporting STEM education in K-12 schools, funding internships and scholarships, and contributing to new fields of higher education.