How much electricity do data centers use and will they use, and why do the estimates differ so much?
Published estimates of data-center electricity use differ widely. Much of the difference is not a dispute about the same quantity: sources describe different years, areas and scenarios, and some count power demand while others count annual energy or a share of a different total. Each claim below keeps its source's scenario and definition, and ranges are shown as ranges.
United States, annual electricity use
Plate 1| Area | For year | Scenario | Value | As of | Source | Filter, as published | Evidence | Carta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 2018 | 76 TWh | 19 Dec 2024 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory National laboratory synthesis | total U.S. data center electricity use including servers, storage, network equipment, and infrastructure | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2018-2024-12-19-001 | |
| US | 2023 | regional aggregation approach | 120–195 TWh | 7 Apr 2025 | IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Efficient End-use Equipment (4E), EDNA Intergovernmental agency | regional estimate for the US from the aggregation of regional and country-level studies | Corroborated | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2023-2025-04-07-001 |
| US | 2023 | 176 TWh | 19 Dec 2024 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory National laboratory synthesis | total U.S. data center electricity use including servers, storage, network equipment, and infrastructure | Corroborated | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2023-2024-12-19-001 | |
| US | 2024 | 177–192 TWh | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | total U.S. data center electricity use, including cryptocurrency mining | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2024-2026-02-25-001 | |
| US | 2028 | scenario range (low and high end) | 325–580 TWh | 19 Dec 2024 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory National laboratory synthesis | scenario range of equipment shipments, operational practices and cooling energy use; "roughly 325 and 580 TWh in 2028" | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2028-2024-12-19-001 |
| US | 2030 | Low to High scenarios | 380–790 TWh | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | total U.S. data center electricity use, including cryptocurrency mining; stated as "roughly 380 to 790 TWh" | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2030-2026-02-25-001 |
| US | 2030 | Low growth (3.7% annual growth) | 196.3 TWh | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | mid-range projection of U.S. data center electricity consumption | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2030_LOW-2024-05-28-001 |
| US | 2030 | Moderate growth (5% annual growth) | 214 TWh | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | mid-range projection of U.S. data center electricity consumption | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2030_MODERATE-2024-05-28-001 |
| US | 2030 | High growth (10% annual growth) | 296.4 TWh | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | mid-range projection of U.S. data center electricity consumption | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2030_HIGH-2024-05-28-001 |
| US | 2030 | Higher growth (15% annual growth) | 403.9 TWh | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | average projection of U.S. data center electricity consumption | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_TWH_2030_HIGHER-2024-05-28-001 |
United States, share of electricity
Plate 2| Area | For year | Scenario | Value | As of | Source | Filter, as published | Evidence | Carta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 2018 | 1.9 % | 19 Dec 2024 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory National laboratory synthesis | share of total annual U.S. electricity consumption | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2018-2024-12-19-001 | |
| US | 2023 | 4.4 % | 19 Dec 2024 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory National laboratory synthesis | share of total U.S. electricity consumption | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2023-2024-12-19-001 | |
| US | 2023 | average estimate | 4 % | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | share of the total load in 2023 (average estimate); stated as "about 4%" | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2023-2024-05-28-001 |
| US | 2024 | 4–5 % | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | U.S. total estimated data center share of electricity in 2024, including cryptocurrency mining | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2024-2026-02-25-001 | |
| US | 2028 | scenario range (low and high end) | 6.7–12 % | 19 Dec 2024 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory National laboratory synthesis | share of total U.S. electricity consumption forecasted for 2028 | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2028-2024-12-19-001 |
| US | 2030 | Low to High scenarios | 9–17 % | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | data centers' share of U.S. electricity, including cryptocurrency mining | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2030-2026-02-25-001 |
| US | 2030 | Low growth (3.7% annual growth) | 4.6 % | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | mid-range share of total U.S. electricity consumption, assuming other loads grow at 1% annually | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2030_LOW-2024-05-28-001 |
| US | 2030 | Moderate growth (5% annual growth) | 5 % | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | mid-range share of total U.S. electricity consumption, assuming other loads grow at 1% annually | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2030_MODERATE-2024-05-28-001 |
| US | 2030 | High growth (10% annual growth) | 6.8 % | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | mid-range share of total U.S. electricity consumption, assuming other loads grow at 1% annually | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2030_HIGH-2024-05-28-001 |
| US | 2030 | Higher growth (15% annual growth) | 9.1 % | 28 May 2024 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | mid-range share of total U.S. electricity consumption, assuming other loads grow at 1% annually | Outdated as of 28 May 2026 | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_SHARE_2030_HIGHER-2024-05-28-001 |
United States, power demand
Plate 3| Area | For year | Scenario | Value | As of | Source | Filter, as published | Evidence | Carta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 2024 | 21–22 GW | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | aggregate peak load for operating U.S. data centers | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_PEAK_2024-2026-02-25-001 | |
| US | 2028 | scenario range (low and high end) | 74–132 GW | 19 Dec 2024 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory National laboratory synthesis | annual energy range converted to power assuming an average capacity utilization rate of 50% | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_GW_2028-2024-12-19-001 |
| US | 2030 | Low | 45 GW | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | aggregate peak load for operating U.S. data centers | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_PEAK_2030_LOW-2026-02-25-001 |
| US | 2030 | Medium | 71 GW | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | aggregate peak load for operating U.S. data centers | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_PEAK_2030_MEDIUM-2026-02-25-001 |
| US | 2030 | High | 94 GW | 25 Feb 2026 | Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research institute | aggregate peak load for operating U.S. data centers | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-US-US_DC_PEAK_2030_HIGH-2026-02-25-001 |
World, annual electricity use
Plate 4| Area | For year | Scenario | Value | As of | Source | Filter, as published | Evidence | Carta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World | 2023 | regional aggregation approach | 290–470 TWh | 7 Apr 2025 | IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Efficient End-use Equipment (4E), EDNA Intergovernmental agency | aggregation of over 80 regional and country-level studies | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_DC_TWH_2023_REGIONAL-2025-04-07-001 |
| World | 2023 | review's overall estimate | 300–380 TWh | 7 Apr 2025 | IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Efficient End-use Equipment (4E), EDNA Intergovernmental agency | data centres globally, excluding crypto, based on over 100 studies and data from over 60 of the largest operators | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_DC_TWH_2023-2025-04-07-001 |
| World | 2024 | 415 TWh | 9 Apr 2025 | International Energy Agency (IEA) Intergovernmental agency | global electricity consumption by data centres | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_DC_TWH_2024-2025-04-09-001 | |
| World | 2030 | Base Case | 945 TWh | 9 Apr 2025 | International Energy Agency (IEA) Intergovernmental agency | global electricity consumption by data centres | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_DC_TWH_2030_BASE-2025-04-09-001 |
| World | 2035 | range across the report's cases | 700–1,700 TWh | 9 Apr 2025 | International Energy Agency (IEA) Intergovernmental agency | data centre electricity demand across the report's cases | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_DC_TWH_2035_CASES-2025-04-09-001 |
| World | 2035 | Base Case | 1,200 TWh | 9 Apr 2025 | International Energy Agency (IEA) Intergovernmental agency | global data centre electricity consumption | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_DC_TWH_2035_BASE-2025-04-09-001 |
World, share of electricity
Plate 5| Area | For year | Value | As of | Source | Filter, as published | Evidence | Carta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World | 2024 | 1.5 % | 9 Apr 2025 | International Energy Agency (IEA) Intergovernmental agency | share of the world's electricity consumption | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_DC_SHARE_2024-2025-04-09-001 |
How far apart published studies are
Plate 6| Area | For year | Scenario | Value | As of | Source | Filter, as published | Evidence | Carta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World | 2023 | studies assessed as high quality | 210–440 TWh | 7 Apr 2025 | IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Efficient End-use Equipment (4E), EDNA Intergovernmental agency | global studies assessed as 'high' quality | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_LIT_TWH_2023_HIGHQ-2025-04-07-001 |
| World | 2023 | studies assessed as low quality | 480–2,000 TWh | 7 Apr 2025 | IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Efficient End-use Equipment (4E), EDNA Intergovernmental agency | estimates and projections for 2023 from studies assessed as 'low' quality (all temporal extrapolation), 17 scenarios and cases | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_LIT_TWH_2023_LOWQ-2025-04-07-001 |
| World | 2030 | range across reviewed publications | 200–8,000 TWh | 7 Apr 2025 | IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Efficient End-use Equipment (4E), EDNA Intergovernmental agency | projections for 2030 in the reviewed literature; bounds stated as "just over 200 TWh" and "nearly 8 000 TWh" | Single source | CARTA-DEMAND-WORLD-GLOBAL_LIT_TWH_2030-2025-04-07-001 |
Not yet recorded
Plate 7Missing
These would help answer the question and are not recorded yet:
- EPRI's later Powering Intelligence update, which revises its earlier scenarios
- Results of the Energy Information Administration's data-center energy surveys
- Independent projections from other research groups for the same years
- Grid operators' and utilities' own forecasts of data-center load, beyond PJM
Disagreements on this page
Some claims above belong to a recorded conflict. Compare them side by side.