AI needs a lot of energy — and a new Bloomberg investigation has found that those soaring costs are being passed on to consumers who live near data centers.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura talks to Bloomberg reporters Josh Saul and Leonardo Nicoletti about the AI boom’s impact on power bills, how utility companies are handling surging demand and the implications for communities with centers in their backyards.

Read more: AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring

AI needs a lot of energy &mdash; and a new Bloomberg investigation has found that those soaring costs are being passed on to consumers who live near data centers.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host David Gura talks to Bloomberg reporters Josh Saul and Leonardo Nicoletti about the AI boom&rsquo;s impact on power bills, how utility companies are handling surging demand and the implications for communities with centers in their backyards.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-data-centers-electricity-prices/?srnd=undefined">AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring</a>

Zero is about the tactics and technologies taking us to a world of zero emissions. Each week Bloomberg’s award-winning reporter Akshat Rathi talks to the people tackling climate change – a venture capitalist hunting for the best cleantech investment, scientists starting companies, politicians who have successfully created climate laws, and CEOs who have completely transformed their businesses. The road to zero emissions has many paths and everyone’s got an opinion about the best route. Listen in.

Zero: The Climate Race

Zero

Big Take: AI data centers use a lot of energy. You may be paying for it

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d3af80ee-930d-4ab8-8cd1-b36a016d75b6/transcript

Will the Iran War finally be the moment where countries move to renewables en masse, or will they rely more heavily on fossil fuels? This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Aurore Belfrage, a tech investor, geopolitical risk advisor, and sustainability strategist, to look at how the energy investment landscape is changing with a fresh war in the Middle East, and how climate tech is making countries more resilient. 

Explore further:
EU Weighs Ukraine Crisis Strategy to Calm High Energy Prices
European Consumers Seek Out Solar, EVs as Energy Prices Surge

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Sharon Chen and Laura Millan. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

Will the Iran War finally be the moment where countries move to renewables en masse, or will they rely more heavily on fossil fuels? This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Aurore Belfrage, a tech investor, geopolitical risk advisor, and sustainability strategist, to look at how the energy investment landscape is changing with a fresh war in the Middle East, and how climate tech is making countries more resilient.&nbsp;
Explore further:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-31/eu-weighs-ukraine-crisis-strategy-to-calm-high-energy-prices">EU Weighs Ukraine Crisis Strategy to Calm High Energy Prices</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-18/uk-german-consumers-seek-out-solar-evs-heat-pumps-due-to-iran-war">European Consumers Seek Out Solar, EVs as Energy Prices Surge</a></li>
</ul>
Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Sharon Chen and Laura Millan. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/green">https://www.bloomberg.com/green</a>.

Climate tech makes Europe more resilient to Iran War shocks

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0e3e03be-f820-404d-8161-b41f00a918ef/transcript

Here's Why is Bloomberg’s short explainer podcast, where we take one big news story and break it down in just a few minutes with help from our experts across the newsroom.

We're dropping into your feed with a special episode featuring Akshat Rathi, who joined us to discuss why the Iran war is making a new argument for renewable energy.

The war in the Middle East has roiled oil and gas markets. The unrest and price spikes are making countries look again at renewable energy like solar and wind — produced at home and insulated from external tensions. But experts warn that the picture is more complicated.

Like what you hear? Subscribe to the Here’s Why podcast for more quick, expert-driven explainers available via the links below every Friday. 
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
TuneIn
Wherever you get your podcasts

Here's Why is Bloomberg&rsquo;s short explainer podcast, where we take one big news story and break it down in just a few minutes&nbsp;with help from our experts across the newsroom. We're dropping into your feed with a special episode featuring Akshat Rathi, who joined us to discuss why the Iran war is making a new argument for renewable energy. The war in the Middle East has roiled oil and gas markets. The unrest and price spikes are making countries look again at renewable energy like solar and wind &mdash; produced at home and insulated from external tensions. But experts warn that the picture is more complicated.
Like what you hear? Subscribe to the&nbsp;Here&rsquo;s Why podcast for more quick, expert-driven explainers available via the links below every Friday.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bloomberg-intelligence/id1479610314">Apple Podcasts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6dajvfHUjw7HaFot0BoNNu">Spotify</a></li>
<li><a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Bloomberg-Intelligence-p1534210/">TuneIn</a></li>
<li><a href="https://pod.link/1479610314?view=apps&amp;sort=popularity">Wherever you get your podcasts</a></li>
</ul>

Here's Why: The Iran war resets the energy transition

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/56192241-12e0-4fb1-8c50-b41a00c62151/transcript

Zack Polanski is challenging the notion that you can’t be Green and a popular politician. Since he became the leader of the UK’s Green Party in September 2025, he has run a campaign that’s pushed his party ahead of the incumbent Labour Party and opposition Conservative Party in some polls. It’s a remarkable rise in a short span of time – how did he pull it off and what will he do if the Green Party gets into power?

Find more:
Watch this interview on YouTube
Zack Polanski Is Making the Once-Fringe Greens a Political Force — Bloomberg


Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. This episode was produced by Oscar Boyd and Jessica Beck. The video version was edited by Meaghan Olsen. Our theme music is composed by Wonderly. Special thanks to the Bloomberg TV team, Isobel Finkel, Olivia Rudgard, Lucy White, Ellen Miligan, Sommer Saadi, Laura Millan and Sharon Chen. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

Zack Polanski is challenging the notion that you can&rsquo;t be Green and a popular politician. Since he became the leader of the UK&rsquo;s Green Party in September 2025, he has run a campaign that&rsquo;s pushed his party ahead of the incumbent Labour Party and opposition Conservative Party in some polls. It&rsquo;s a remarkable rise in a short span of time &ndash; how did he pull it off and what will he do if the Green Party gets into power?
Find more:
<ul>
<li>Watch this interview on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STXgaWdfWKs">YouTube</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-28/zack-polanski-who-is-green-party-s-eco-populist-leader">Zack Polanski Is Making the Once-Fringe Greens a Political Force</a> &mdash; Bloomberg</li>
</ul>
 Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. This episode was produced by Oscar Boyd and Jessica Beck. The video version was edited by Meaghan Olsen. Our theme music is composed by Wonderly. Special thanks to the Bloomberg TV team, Isobel Finkel, Olivia Rudgard, Lucy White, Ellen Miligan, Sommer Saadi, Laura Millan and Sharon Chen. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/green">https://www.bloomberg.com/green</a>.

Zack Polanski’s plan to tax billionaires and make energy affordable

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fa88463c-280d-43d6-9a25-b41800b314e5/transcript

Big Take: AI data centers use a lot of energy. You may be paying for it

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