Data centres now use 6% electricity

Datacentres powering the AI boom are now using about 6% of electricity in both the United States and Britain, according to research published this week by the International Data Center Authority. The group said global datacentre energy consumption has risen 15% in two years and now accounts for about 2% of worldwide electricity use. In the United States, datacentres consume 29.2 gigawatts of electricity, the report said, while Britain’s share was put at 5.8% of national generation. ### Where does the 6% figure come from? The International Data Center Authority said on May 14 that datacentres in the United States and Britain are each using roughly 6% of national electricity supply. The same report said the sector’s global power footprint reached 67.7 gigawatts, up 36% in two years, and that the United States accounts for 43% of global datacentre electricity consumption. (computing.co.uk) Britain’s figure was reported at 5.8%, close to the 6% headline number, while Germany was put at 9.5% and Singapore at 19%, according to the same research. The report also said datacentres now account for 2% of global electricity use, up from 1.7% in 2024. ### Why is AI being named as the main driver? (computing.co.uk) The International Energy Agency said on April 10, 2025 that electricity demand from datacentres worldwide is set to more than double by 2030 to about 945 terawatt-hours, with AI the biggest driver of that increase. The agency said demand from AI-optimised datacentres is projected to more than quadruple by 2030. (computing.co.uk) The IEA said in a separate April 2026 update that electricity demand from datacentres rose 17% in 2025, even as bottlenecks tightened. That update also said capital spending by five large technology companies topped $400 billion in 2025 and is set to rise another 75% in 2026, driven by datacentre investment. (iea.org) ### Why are governments starting to scrutinise new builds? Australia’s Senate referred an inquiry into artificial intelligence and data centres on May 13, 2026 to the Environment and Communications References Committee. The published terms of reference say the inquiry will examine regulatory frameworks, government deals with global AI companies, and the effects of datacentres on communities, water and energy. (iea.org) The Australian Financial Review reported that the push followed concern about the impact of existing and planned projects on electricity demand. A separate AFR report said the Australian Energy Market Operator had warned that datacentre demand in Victoria almost doubled in the past year. (aph.gov.au) ### Why does power availability matter more than server demand now? In Britain, developers have reported waiting years for new grid connections as demand outpaces available capacity, according to the May 14 report summary. The same research said the queue for grid connections increased 460% in the first half of 2025. (afr.com) The IEA said power systems will need greater flexibility to accommodate evolving demand patterns and technologies, including AI and datacentres. JLL said in its 2026 outlook that nearly 100 gigawatts of new datacentres are expected to be added globally between 2026 and 2030, and that energy constraints will require new infrastructure solutions. (computing.co.uk) ### What does that mean for where capacity gets built? JLL said hyperscalers are pursuing a dual strategy of leasing and self-building as AI workloads expand and power constraints tighten. The property firm said global datacentre growth through 2030 will require energy innovation to ease grid constraints. S&P Global said U.S. datacentre grid-power demand is expected to rise 22% in 2025 and nearly triple by 2030, with utilities and regulators in some states already responding to interconnection requests and tariff questions. (iea.org) Those conditions give an advantage to sites that already have grid access, permits and network interconnection, according to market participants cited in industry research; that conclusion is an inference from the reported bottlenecks rather than a direct regulatory finding. (jll.com) Australia’s Senate committee has set June 26, 2026 as the deadline for submissions and November 16, 2026 as the reporting date for its inquiry into AI and datacentres. The committee’s published brief names water, energy and existing regulatory frameworks as part of the next review. (aph.gov.au) (spglobal.com)