Basiran
BANGKOK, THAILAND (September 17, 2026) – As global energy leaders, technology titans, and government officials convene in Bangkok for the highly anticipated AixEnergy Summit at Gastech 2026, a stark warning has emerged from Greenpeace East Asia. The environmental advocacy group has sounded the alarm, asserting that the burgeoning demand for energy to power the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, if met by fossil gas, represents a perilous gamble that threatens to derail global climate targets and disproportionately harm frontline communities.
The summit, a pivotal gathering for the energy sector, has become a focal point for discussions surrounding the immense and rapidly escalating energy needs of AI. With projections indicating that global capital expenditure for AI-driven data centers is set to surpass a staggering US$700 billion in 2026, major energy corporations and technology giants are reportedly leveraging this surge in demand as justification for the expansion of multi-decade fossil gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure. During the proceedings of Gastech 2026, a dominant narrative has been promoted by industry leaders, framing natural gas as an "indispensable baseline" power source crucial to averting a potential AI energy crisis.
Greenpeace East Asia’s critical analysis of the AI and energy discourse at Gastech 2026 has identified significant shortcomings in the industry’s proposed approach to powering the next generation of computing capabilities. The organization contends that the current trajectory risks entrenching fossil fuel dependency at a time when a rapid transition to clean energy is paramount for climate stability.
The AI Energy Demand: A Growing Challenge
The exponential growth of artificial intelligence, fueled by increasingly sophisticated algorithms and vast data processing requirements, has created an unprecedented demand for electricity. Data centers, the physical infrastructure housing the servers and computing power necessary for AI, are notoriously energy-intensive. As AI applications become more integrated into everyday life, from personalized recommendations and advanced analytics to autonomous systems and scientific research, the energy footprint of these operations is expanding at an alarming rate.
Estimates from industry analysis firms, such as PwC’s Global Data Centre Outlook, underscore the scale of this investment, projecting over $700 billion in capital expenditure for AI-driven data centers in 2026 alone. This surge in demand presents both an opportunity and a significant challenge for the global energy sector. While the industry is keen to meet this demand, the methods proposed are a point of contention.
Greenpeace’s Critique: A Fossil Fuel Lock-in?
Greenpeace East Asia’s critique centers on the potential for this energy demand to be met with fossil fuels, thereby undermining climate goals. The organization argues that the industry’s emphasis on natural gas as a "transition fuel" or "baseload" power source for AI is a misdirection. They highlight that locking in new gas infrastructure now, through long-term contracts and investments, would create a dependency that is difficult and costly to break, effectively perpetuating greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come.
The environmental group’s analysis points to several critical flaws in the industry’s proposed solutions:
- Perpetuating Fossil Fuel Dependency: By advocating for new gas infrastructure, the industry risks creating a long-term reliance on fossil fuels, directly contradicting international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
- Ignoring Renewable Potential: Greenpeace argues that the rapid advancements and decreasing costs of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, coupled with energy storage solutions, offer a viable and sustainable alternative to meet AI’s energy needs.
- Exacerbating Climate Impacts: The continued extraction and combustion of fossil fuels contribute directly to climate change, leading to more frequent and intense extreme weather events, which disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.
- Health and Environmental Risks: The construction and operation of gas infrastructure, including LNG terminals and power plants, can lead to localized environmental degradation, air and water pollution, and pose health risks to nearby populations.
A Call for Immediate Action
In light of these concerns, Greenpeace is issuing a firm demand to all stakeholders involved in the AI expansion: hyperscalers, chip manufacturers, energy developers, and governments. The organization insists that the growth of AI must not be used as a pretext for the development of new fossil gas infrastructure. Instead, tech companies are urged to implement stringent 100% renewable energy requirements across their entire supply chains and data networks.
Voices from the Frontlines and Advocacy Groups
The concerns raised by Greenpeace East Asia are echoed by activists and campaigners across the region, highlighting the immediate and tangible impacts of climate change and the perceived misallocation of resources towards fossil fuels.
Yeonho Yang, Senior Climate & Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia, articulated a strong message regarding the region’s energy future: "Asia cannot afford to let its digital growth pull the plug on its energy transition. Tech giants like Nvidia, Microsoft and Google claim to be climate leaders and point to their net-zero targets, yet they are turning a blind eye as their suppliers and data center hosts construct massive gas plants to fuel compute power. From East Asian semiconductor hubs to Southeast Asian data center clusters, powering AI with fossil gas is a total climate failure. This is no longer a matter of voluntary targets. Policymakers must mandate 100% renewable procurement across big tech’s supply chains, and block energy suppliers from exploiting AI power demand to lock in new LNG infrastructure."
Manun Wongmasoh, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Thailand, emphasized the local consequences of such energy policies. "In Thailand and across Southeast Asia, communities are already suffering the frontline impacts of extreme weather, facing severe flood and heat impacts driven by the climate crisis. Watching utility companies and tech firms lock our energy systems into decades of gas under the badge of AI progress is deeply frustrating. Gas is not a transition fuel—it drives climate disruption. Southeast Asia has abundant solar and wind potential that can power our digital future safely. The energy for tomorrow’s technology must be built on 100% clean, renewable systems."
Adding a perspective from Australia, a nation poised to play a significant role in global climate discussions, Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, stated: "The impacts of the climate crisis are escalating: As Australia takes the reins of global climate negotiations at COP31, it should be leading the region in phasing out coal and gas exports so we have a chance at avoiding the most extreme impacts of a hotter world—not opening up new gas projects to power hyperscale data centres running AI applications. Prolonging the life of polluting fossil fuels simply puts the profits of big tech and gas corporations ahead of communities and the natural world. It is indefensible. AI data centres should run on 100% renewable energy no matter where they are located, not serve as an excuse to fast-track new gas and keep polluting."
Regional Context: Asia Pacific at the Epicenter of Global AI Expansion
The Asia Pacific region finds itself at the nexus of the global AI infrastructure boom. East Asia, a powerhouse of global semiconductor manufacturing, accounts for approximately three-quarters of worldwide capacity, with Taiwan and South Korea leading in advanced node production. Simultaneously, Southeast Asia, encompassing nations like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, has attracted billions of dollars in new data center investments. This concentration of AI development and infrastructure in the region amplifies the risks associated with a fossil fuel-centric energy approach.
The push to meet AI’s burgeoning energy demands with fossil gas presents a cascade of severe risks to local environments, air quality, and the livelihoods of communities across these key markets. Studies commissioned by Greenpeace and its partners have further illuminated these dangers. For instance, a Health Impact Assessment conducted by Greenpeace Korea on a proposed semiconductor cluster LNG power plant in Yongin highlighted potential respiratory and cardiovascular issues linked to emissions. Similarly, research by CREA and Greenpeace East Asia on the electronics industry’s electricity consumption in Taiwan underscored the environmental and health burdens associated with energy-intensive manufacturing. In Southeast Asia, civil society groups have called for stricter regulations on data center development to protect residential areas from potential environmental impacts, as reported by Greenpeace Southeast Asia. The rapid expansion of AI data centers in Australia has also drawn scrutiny, with Greenpeace Australia Pacific releasing a report, "Energy Vampires," detailing the significant energy drain these facilities represent.
Broader Implications and the Path Forward
The debate unfolding at Gastech 2026 and the concerns raised by Greenpeace East Asia highlight a critical juncture in the global energy transition. The rapid growth of AI presents a powerful opportunity to accelerate the shift towards a sustainable energy future, but it also carries the risk of reinforcing reliance on outdated and polluting energy sources.
The implications of choosing fossil gas for AI power are far-reaching:
- Climate Targets: Continued investment in gas infrastructure would make achieving the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius increasingly difficult, if not impossible.
- Energy Security: While proponents argue for gas’s reliability, a transition to diversified renewable energy sources, coupled with smart grid technologies and energy storage, can offer robust and secure energy systems for the future.
- Economic Development: Investing in renewable energy and green technologies can foster innovation, create new jobs, and drive sustainable economic growth, rather than locking economies into volatile fossil fuel markets.
- Social Equity: Frontline communities, often bearing the brunt of climate impacts and pollution from fossil fuel infrastructure, stand to benefit significantly from a rapid transition to clean energy.
Industry analysts and reports from organizations like Energy Connects suggest that regulators are being urged to accelerate their responses to the evolving energy landscape shaped by AI. Meanwhile, figures like the CEO of Baker Hughes have indicated a continued strong demand for energy projects, with high prices potentially spurring new supply, as reported by Yahoo Finance. This underscores the urgency for proactive policy decisions that steer investments towards sustainable solutions.
As Gastech 2026 concludes, the calls for a decisive shift away from fossil fuels in powering the AI revolution are growing louder. The challenge lies in ensuring that the immense potential of artificial intelligence is harnessed in a way that aligns with, rather than undermines, the urgent imperative of a sustainable and equitable energy future. The decisions made today regarding energy infrastructure will have profound and lasting consequences for the planet and its inhabitants for decades to come.
Additional Materials & Resources:
- Greenpeace Korea, Health Impact Assessment of the Proposed Yongin Semiconductor Cluster LNG Power Plant (April 2026)
- Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) & Greenpeace East Asia, Health Impact Assessment of Electronics Industry Electricity Consumption in Taiwan (March 2026)
- Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Civil society calls for ban on data centres near residential areas (July 2026)
- Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Energy Vampires: The AI Data Centres Draining Australia (May 2026)
Notes to Editors:
- The AixEnergy Summit at Gastech 2026 is a major international conference focusing on the future of energy, with a significant portion of this year’s discussions dedicated to the energy demands of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence.
- Greenpeace East Asia is a regional office of the international environmental organization Greenpeace, working on issues related to climate change, pollution, and environmental justice across East Asia.
- Hyperscalers are large-scale cloud computing providers, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, which operate massive data centers.
- LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is natural gas that has been cooled down to liquid form for easier transportation and storage.
Media Contact:
Yujie Xue, International Communications Officer, Greenpeace East Asia, +852 5127 3416, [email protected]
Raul Delapena Setiawan
Pevita Pearce
