Meta's Mesa datacentre in the US
Energy’s electric shock
The scale of energy demand growth by 2030 and beyond asks huge questions of gas supply especially in the US
The IEA recently published a special study on energy and AI that builds on its global conference on the topic that took place in Paris last December. The report states that datacentres of all kinds accounted for 1.5% of global electricity consumption in 2024, amounting to 415TWh. That demand was highly concentrated, with the US accounting for 45% of consumption; China, 25%; Europe, 15%; and the rest of the world combined also 15%. According to the IEA’s forecast, datacentre demand is set to double by 2030, to around 945TWh, which is slightly more than Japan’s annual electricity consumption today. The projected rate of annual demand growth is 15% from 2024 to 2030, which is four times faster
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal
9 December 2025
The group’s oil production declined in November, our latest analysis finds, amid divided sentiment over market balances and geopolitical jitters
