Data center expansion will account for roughly 50 percent of all United States electricity demand growth through 2030, according to the International Energy Agency's Electricity 2026 report.

The agency projects that US electricity use will add more than 420 TWh in total over the next five years. That places annual growth close to 2 percent, more than twice the rate recorded over the past decade. US demand rose 2.1 percent in 2025, following a 2.8 percent increase in 2024 when hotter summer temperatures lifted consumption. In both years the buildings sector, covering residential and commercial use combined, accounted for over 70 percent of the country's demand growth.

Data centers sit inside that buildings category, alongside space cooling and heat pumps. The IEA identifies industrial consumption as another major US driver, supported by reshoring and new large loads including semiconductor and battery manufacturing plants. The transport sector adds further growth as electric vehicle numbers rise.

The global picture frames the US figure. Worldwide electricity demand grew 3 percent in 2025 after 4.4 percent in 2024, and the agency forecasts an average 3.6 percent annual rate from 2026 to 2030 against 2.8 percent over the prior decade. That pace adds approximately 1,100 TWh each year, compared with an average of 700 TWh per year between 2015 and 2025. Global consumption reaches 33,600 TWh in 2030, up from 28,200 TWh in 2025.

Worldwide, space cooling, data centers and heat pumps make up almost half of projected growth in the buildings sector to 2030. The buildings sector overall contributes 49 percent of additional global demand between 2025 and 2030.

Source: International Energy Agency - https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-2026/demand