In a report today, The International Energy Agency says an investment of $45 trillion will be needed to prevent energy shortages and cut emission rates by 2030. Whither data centers?

At a recent Waters Street#Grid conference, a speaker mentioned that new mega-data centers under construction had to choose a very special location: next door to hydro-electric dams. Microsoft and Google needed to be near these massive energy plants in order to obtain a steady and near-unlimited supply of power for their mega data centers. Being outside a major city just would not do as power constraints were inevitable.

Something to think about the next time you Google the menu for your favorite take-out restaurant.