Tokyo: The demand for electricity in data centers worldwide is expected to more than double by 2030, reaching approximately 945 terawatt-hours, which is slightly more than Japan’s current total electricity consumption, APA-Economics reports citing the International Energy Agency (IEA) report.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the most significant reason for this increase will be artificial intelligence. It is predicted that the demand for electricity in data processing centers optimized with artificial intelligence will increase more than fourfold by 2030.
It is noted that in the United States, electricity consumption in data processing centers will already account for about half of the projected increase in electricity demand by 2030. “Thanks to the use of artificial intelligence, the U.S. economy will consume more electricity for data processing in 2030 than the combined production of all energy-intensive products, including aluminum, steel, cement, and chemicals,” the report states.
In a broader sense, data processing centers in developed economies will account for more than 20% of the increase in electricity demand by 2030. The report states that various energy sources will be used to meet the growing energy needs of data centers, but renewable energy sources and natural gas will play a leading role in major markets due to their competitiveness and availability.