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Environment

Electricity demand from data centres set to double by 2026

The world needs more data centres to support internet activity and the AI boom. That could double the associated electricity demand in the next few years

By Jeremy Hsu

24 January 2024

Data processing and storage centres consume an enormous amount of electricity

Andrey Semenov, Getty Images/iStockphoto

As global demand for internet services and artificial intelligence continues to grow, the data centres that support them could double their electricity consumption in just two years. That means they would devour as much energy in 2026 as the entire nation of Japan, with a population of 125 million, does today.

The finding comes from an International Energy Agency report, which estimates that global data centre electricity consumption – including AI services and cryptocurrencies – could rise from 460…

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