IEA Energy and AI Report
Summary
The International Energy Agency forecasts data center electricity consumption to double by 2030, with AI-driven accelerated servers being a key driver of increased energy demand.
Review
The IEA Energy and AI Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the emerging energy dynamics surrounding data centers and artificial intelligence. The study highlights the rapid growth of electricity consumption in data centers, projecting an increase from 415 TWh in 2024 to around 945 TWh by 2030, representing nearly 3% of global electricity consumption. The report emphasizes the critical role of AI-accelerated servers, which are expected to grow at 30% annually, accounting for almost half of the net increase in data center electricity consumption. The research presents multiple scenarios (Base Case, Lift-Off, High Efficiency, and Headwinds) to capture the uncertainties in AI adoption, technological efficiency, and energy sector constraints. The findings underscore the regional disparities in data center development, with the United States, China, and Europe emerging as the primary drivers of growth. While the absolute growth may seem modest compared to other electricity demand sectors, the concentration of data centers in specific locations poses unique challenges for grid integration and energy infrastructure planning.
Key Points
- Global data center electricity consumption expected to double by 2030
- AI-accelerated servers driving 30% annual growth in data center energy demand
- United States and China account for nearly 80% of projected data center electricity consumption growth