Global Data Centre Electricity Demand Set to Double by 2030, Driven by AI – Nation Thailand

Report on Global Data Centre Electricity Consumption and Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent analysis by Gartner, Inc. projects a significant escalation in global electricity demand from data centres, primarily driven by the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. This surge presents profound challenges to the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to energy, infrastructure, and climate action.

Key Projections (2025-2030)

• Overall Consumption Growth: Global data centre electricity consumption is forecast to more than double, increasing from 448 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025 to 980 TWh by 2030.
• Primary Driver: The rapid adoption and operational requirements of AI-optimised servers are identified as the principal factor behind this increase.

Analysis of AI-Optimised Server Impact

1. Exponential Power Demand: The electricity usage attributed specifically to AI-optimised servers is projected to increase nearly fivefold, rising from 93 TWh in 2025 to 432 TWh in 2030.
2. Share of Total Consumption: Consequently, AI-optimised servers are expected to account for 44% of total data centre power consumption by 2030, a substantial increase from 21% in 2025.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The projected growth in energy consumption directly impacts the global community’s ability to meet key SDG targets. Urgent action is required to align the expansion of digital infrastructure with sustainability principles.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• The doubling of electricity demand places immense pressure on global energy grids, potentially undermining efforts to ensure universal access to affordable and reliable energy.
• To meet SDG 7, the rapid expansion of data centre capacity must be coupled with a commensurate investment in and transition to renewable energy sources to power these facilities.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• While AI represents a significant technological innovation (Target 9.5), its energy-intensive nature challenges the goal of building resilient and sustainable infrastructure (Target 9.4).
• There is a critical need to foster innovation in energy-efficient computing and data centre design to mitigate the environmental impact of this industrial growth.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• A surge in electricity consumption, if met by fossil fuel-based power generation, will lead to a substantial increase in greenhouse gas emissions, directly contravening efforts to combat climate change.
• The technology sector must integrate climate action into its growth strategies by prioritising energy efficiency, adopting renewable energy, and investing in carbon-neutral infrastructure to align with the objectives of SDG 13.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article’s central theme is the massive projected increase in electricity demand from data centres, which will put “immense pressure on global energy grids.” This directly relates to SDG 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. The doubling of demand challenges the reliability and sustainability of energy systems.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Data centres and AI servers are critical components of modern digital infrastructure. The article discusses the rapid expansion of this infrastructure, driven by innovation in AI. SDG 9 calls for building resilient infrastructure and fostering sustainable industrialization. The article highlights a major sustainability challenge—energy consumption—associated with this technological infrastructure growth.
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • This goal focuses on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. The article details a surge in the consumption of a key resource: electricity. The forecast that “worldwide consumption will surge from 448 TWh in 2025 to 980 TWh by 2030” directly points to a rapidly growing consumption pattern that raises questions about its sustainability and efficiency.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
   • The article implicitly addresses this target by highlighting a trend moving in the opposite direction. The doubling of electricity demand from data centres, largely due to less efficient (in terms of power per computation) but more powerful AI servers, represents a significant challenge to improving overall energy efficiency in the technology sector.
2. Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency…
   • The article focuses on the expansion of data centre infrastructure. The dramatic increase in its energy consumption underscores the urgent need to apply Target 9.4, ensuring that this new and upgraded infrastructure is built with maximum resource-use efficiency (specifically energy efficiency) to be sustainable.
3. Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
   • Electricity is a resource derived from natural resources (like fossil fuels, water, or sun). The article’s projection of data centres consuming 980 TWh by 2030 directly concerns the efficient use of these resources. The trend described challenges the goal of achieving sustainable management of energy resources.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Global Data Centre Electricity Consumption
   • The article provides explicit figures for this indicator: a projected increase from 448 TWh in 2025 to 980 TWh by 2030. This serves as a direct quantitative measure of the energy resource consumption of this specific infrastructure, relevant to tracking progress towards Targets 7.3, 9.4, and 12.2.
2. AI-Optimised Server Electricity Consumption
   • The article isolates the consumption of the primary driver, stating it will rise from 93 TWh in 2025 to 432 TWh in 2030. This granular indicator is crucial for understanding the specific technological trend impacting overall energy efficiency and resource use within the industry.
3. Share of AI-Optimised Servers in Total Data Centre Power Usage
   • The article implies this indicator by stating that AI-optimised servers will account for 44% of total data centre power usage by 2030, up from 21% in 2025. This percentage tracks the growing energy intensity of the data centre industry and can be used to measure the impact of AI innovation on sustainable infrastructure goals.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: nationthailand.com