The International Energy Agency projects that global electricity consumption by data centers will more than double by 2030, with artificial intelligence as the primary driver. The forecast quantifies how quickly digital infrastructure is reshaping power demand.

Data center electricity consumption is set to reach about 945 terawatt-hours by 2030, up from 415 terawatt-hours in 2024, which is slightly more than Japan's total electricity use today and just under 3 percent of global consumption. The United States accounts for the largest share of the increase, with consumption rising about 240 terawatt-hours, a 130 percent gain over 2024 levels. China rises about 175 terawatt-hours and Europe more than 45 terawatt-hours.

AI is the most important driver, with electricity use in accelerated servers projected to grow about 30 percent annually and to account for nearly half of the net global increase. The IEA expects renewables, supported by storage and the broader grid, to meet about half of the growth in data center demand through the period. The data underscores why power availability has become the central constraint on data center expansion, particularly in the United States where the bulk of new demand is concentrated.

Source: IEA - https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/executive-summary