AI's Rapid Expansion to Double Data Centre Power and Water Usage by 2030
The accelerating use of AI is projected to double global data centre power and water consumption by 2030, according to a UN report. The expansion highlights environmental concerns such as resource strain and increased emissions.
Highlights
- •Data Centres Doubling Power Usage by 2030
- •America's Data Centre Demand
- •Water Scarcity Concerns
- •Emission Trends Up to 79% By 2030
Data centres are poised to consume twice as much power and water by 2030, according to a report from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health. This rapid expansion is linked directly to the growing demand from artificial intelligence (AI), which currently accounts for one-fifth of global data centre energy consumption.
According to Kaveh Madani, director of the institute, the debate surrounding AI often views it as purely software. However, he highlighted that 'AI is also physical infrastructure: data centres, electricity generation, cooling systems, transmission networks, chips, minerals, land and water.' Last year alone, global data centre electricity consumption stood at 448 terawatt-hours—more than the total for Saudi Arabia—and the use of 4.5 trillion litres of water was equivalent to meeting the needs of over 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Projected Increases by 2030
The report foresees substantial increases: the annual power consumption from data centres is projected to rise from current levels, doubling to around 945 terawatt-hours (TWh), with AI accounting for 40% of this usage. Water consumption is expected to reach 9.3 trillion litres, and CO2 emissions will soar to 399 million tons.
The physical footprint of data centres is also set to expand significantly. In 2021, the land use amounted to 6,900 square kilometres (about 2,664 square miles). By 2030, this figure could rise above 14,500 square kilometres.
Despite the potential for AI to boost efficiency by optimising power grids and reducing waste, total energy and water demand is expected to increase as countries and corporations compete to build new capacity. 'Right now, the competition for growing faster than others overshadows the fundamental principles of sustainable growth,' says Madani.
