Global electricity consumption by data centers is projected to roughly double to about 945 terawatt hours by 2030, just under 3 percent of total global electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. Data centers used around 415 terawatt hours in 2024, about 1.5 percent of world consumption.

The growth rate far outpaces the broader power sector. From 2024 to 2030, data center electricity use is forecast to expand by around 15 percent per year, more than four times faster than total electricity demand from all other sectors combined. Artificial intelligence is the most significant driver, with demand from AI optimized facilities projected to more than quadruple over the period.

The United States and China dominate the increase. Together they account for nearly 80 percent of global data center electricity demand growth through 2030. U.S. consumption rises by around 240 terawatt hours, an increase of 130 percent over 2024 levels, while China adds roughly 175 terawatt hours, up 170 percent.

In a global context, data centers represent about one tenth of total electricity demand growth to 2030, less than the contributions from industrial motors, building air conditioning, or electric vehicles. Even so, the concentration of data center load in specific regions and grids makes the local impact far larger than the global share suggests.

Source: International Energy Agency - https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai