Energy Use in Data Centers: Current Figures and Trends

What is the current global electricity consumption of data centers, and how is it projected to change by 2030? How is the rise of AI technologies influencing energy consumption patterns in data centers? What are metrics to quantify energy efficiency in data centers? What are current trends and strategies to improve energy efficiency? The scope of this article is to give insights and current figures on energy use in data centers. As digitalization efforts expand, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, data-intensive services, and a growing digital economy, so too does the demand for computing power, storage, and data transmission. This growing demand brings energy efficiency into focus. To this end, first the components of a DC and its energy use are revisited, while different types of DCs are differentiated. Estimates on the current energy use of data centers in 2024 as well as projections for the future energy use are provided. Key metrics are examined to quantify energy efficiency in a digital infrastructure. This includes new approaches that account for the value of the services like users’ Quality of experience (QoE), as well as sustainability. Finally, selected trends and innovations aimed at reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency in data centers are shown from a networking perspective (in-network computing, optical switching) and a data center perspective (energy-aware runtime monitoring and optimizations, workload management, improved cooling, integrated resource management). It is important to note that, while this article focuses on energy use (footprint), the positive environmental contributions of ICT across different sectors (handprint) are equally vital for advancing sustainability.