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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesData centers use electricity to run servers, storage and networking equipment, and to power the facility systems that protect and cool that equipment. In the United States, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) estimates data centers used 192 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024, or 4.7% of U.S. electricity consumption. Globally, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates about 415 TWh in 2024, roughly 1.5% of global electricity use. These are separate estimates for different geographies, not directly comparable measures of the same electricity system.
Where data-center electricity goes
Electricity powers two broad parts of a data center: the IT equipment that processes and stores information, and the facility infrastructure needed to keep that equipment running reliably.
- IT equipment: Servers perform computing tasks, while storage systems and networking equipment handle data and communications. Their electrical draw rises with the amount and type of equipment installed and how intensively it is used.
- Cooling: Servers and other IT equipment produce heat. Cooling systems use electricity to keep operating conditions within safe limits.
- Power protection and distribution: Systems such as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) help protect IT equipment and deliver power through the facility.
The division between IT and facility loads is not fixed. The IEA’s 2025 report, Energy and AI, says cooling accounts for about 7% of electricity use in efficient hyperscale data centers but can exceed 30% in less-efficient enterprise data centers. Those figures illustrate differences among facility types; neither is a universal cooling share. IEA, Energy and AI
How much electricity data centers use
Estimates depend on geography, year, included facilities and modeling assumptions. LBNL’s U.S. estimates are produced with a bottom-up model that combines equipment shipment information, per-device energy assumptions, cooling performance, and facility types and locations. The 2025 update, published in 2026, excludes cryptocurrency mining. The figures below are modeled estimates, not direct meter readings from every data center. LBNL, 2025 Update
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| Geography and period | Estimated electricity use | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| United States, 2024 | 192 TWh; 4.7% of total U.S. electricity consumption | LBNL historical-year estimate in its 2025 update, published in 2026. |
| United States, 2028 | 464 TWh | LBNL Reference Case forecast, not a measured outcome. |
| United States, 2030 | 649 TWh | LBNL Reference Case forecast. The report gives a 521–843 TWh compounded uncertainty range; sensitivity scenarios span 578–782 TWh. |
| Global, 2024 | About 415 TWh; around 1.5% of global electricity consumption | IEA estimate. The agency says global data-center electricity use grew by 12% per year over the preceding five years. |
The U.S. and global 2024 numbers describe different geographic totals and use different denominators. Do not subtract one from the other or treat them as directly comparable estimates. The U.S. forecasts are conditional on LBNL’s Reference Case assumptions, not promises about future consumption. LBNL, 2025 Update IEA, Energy and AI
What drives data-center power demand
How much equipment is installed
Adding servers, storage and networking equipment increases the direct IT load. LBNL’s model uses equipment shipment and installation information to estimate how much hardware is operating, rather than relying on a single assumed facility size.
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Server design and AI accelerators
AI-focused accelerated servers can have higher power needs than other server designs. LBNL’s 2025 update incorporates updated accelerator shipment information and revises its assumptions about AI server wattage. The effect therefore depends partly on what equipment is deployed, not simply on whether a facility runs AI workloads.
Utilization and idle power
Power demand depends on how busy equipment is and how much electricity it draws when idle. A server may consume power even when it is not processing at full capacity. LBNL identifies assumptions about AI inference, utilization and idle-power fractions among the factors it updates or tests in sensitivity cases.
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Cooling and facility efficiency
IT equipment’s heat output creates an additional electricity requirement for cooling. Facility design and efficiency affect how large that extra load is, which is why cooling’s share can differ substantially between hyperscale and enterprise facilities.
Forecast assumptions and uncertainty
Future totals depend on uncertain inputs, including equipment shipments, chip lifetimes, utilization and deployment approaches. LBNL presents sensitivity cases and a broader compounded uncertainty range to show how different assumptions change its estimates. For example, its 2030 U.S. Reference Case is 649 TWh, while the compounded uncertainty range is 521–843 TWh; the Reference Case should be read as one modeled path, not a certain result. LBNL, 2025 Update
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the estimates can—and cannot—tell you
These totals describe electricity use at a sector level; they do not establish a universal amount of electricity per server, per AI query or per individual facility. LBNL’s estimate is a model assembled from equipment and facility assumptions, while the IEA figure is a global estimate with a different scope. When comparing data-center electricity figures, check the geography, year, whether the value is historical or forecast, what loads are included, and the facility types and assumptions behind it.
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