February 6, 2026

Data centers using a lot of electricity

Axios - Data centers are slated to account for a whopping 50%-ish of U.S. power demand growth the remainder of this decade, a new International Energy Agency report projects.

The AI-driven rise of huge data centers is a big reason IEA sees overall U.S. demand rising an average of 2% annually from 2026-2030 — twice the pace of the 2016-2025 stretch.

Global power thirst is rising even faster as emerging economies lead the way, with IEA seeing it growing an average of 3.6% annually in 2026-2030.

  • There's no single reason. Instead, it's a mix of industrial needs, air conditioning, EVs, data centers and more.
  • Renewables, gas and nuclear are all expanding, yet coal remains the single largest global source in 2030.
  • IEA sees power sector CO2 emissions plateauing through 2030.

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