Data centers are consuming vast amounts of electricity, so much that if they were a country, they’d rank among the top global consumers.
In 2022, the total estimated global energy use by data centers reached 415 terawatt-hours (TWh), and this is expected to double to 835 TWh by 2026.
That’s more than the total electricity consumption of countries like Canada, Germany, or France.
China leads all nations in energy use with 8,540 TWh, followed by the U.S. (4,128 TWh), and India (1,463 TWh). Japan, Canada, and several European nations follow.
The spike is driven by increased digital activity, cloud computing, AI, and high data demand.
As more industries shift to digital infrastructure, managing this rising energy appetite will be crucial to reducing global carbon emissions and ensuring the sustainability of the data economy.
