Ohio State University Researchers Project Significant Increase in Data Center Electricity Consumption by 2030
Researchers at Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences project that data centers belonging to six major technology companies could more than double their global electricity consumption by 2030 compared to 2024 levels. This increase is largely driven by the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI). The study, published in Communications Sustainability, estimates that these companies' combined annual data center electricity use worldwide could rise from approximately 118 terawatt-hours in 2024 to between 239 and 295 terawatt-hours by 2030, accounting for roughly 1% of projected global electricity demand. Ohio is identified as one of the states expected to experience particularly high demand, with the six companies' data centers potentially consuming over 15 terawatt-hours annually by 2030. This amount is roughly one-tenth of the electricity sold to all Ohio customers in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The study focused on Amazon, ...
