Electricity Demand & Data-Centre Load
Global electricity demand grew by a record 4.3% in 2024, adding around 1,080 TWh as electrification, cooling, electric vehicles and data centres accelerated consumption. Most of the growth came from China and other emerging economies. Data centres used roughly 415 TWh in 2024 and are projected to nearly double by 2030.
Key Electricity Demand Insights
Record growth in 2024
Global electricity demand rose 4.3% in 2024, up from 2.5% in 2023 and nearly double the 2.7% average pace of 2010-2023. Consumption increased by about 1,080 TWh, nearly two times the annual average of the past decade.
China and emerging economies lead
China alone accounted for 54% of global demand growth in 2024, with its gross demand approaching 10,000 TWh. Emerging and developing economies are expected to make up about 85% of additional global demand through 2027.
Data centres rising fast
Data centres consumed around 415 TWh in 2024, about 1.5% of global electricity, after growing about 12% a year over five years. IEA's Base Case projects this nearly doubles to around 945 TWh by 2030, just under 3% of the world total.
AI and cooling drive demand
Air conditioning, electric vehicles, clean-tech manufacturing and AI-driven data centres are the main new drivers. AI-heavy accelerated servers alone account for almost half of the net rise in data-centre electricity use to 2030.
Global Electricity Demand Trend
Total global electricity demand in terawatt-hours, anchored on IEA figures (22,848 TWh in 2019; 26,196 TWh in 2024 from the +1,080 TWh / +4.3% rise) and extended with IEA year-on-year growth rates through the 2025-2026 forecast.
Key Finding: Demand reached roughly 26,200 TWh in 2024 and is forecast toward 28,000 TWh by 2026.
Demand Growth by Major Market
Year-on-year electricity demand growth for the largest markets, showing how fast each is expanding relative to the 4.3% global figure for 2024.
Key Finding: China grew about 7% in 2024 while advanced economies like the EU expanded near 1%.
Data-Centre Electricity Use to 2030
Data-centre electricity consumption in terawatt-hours: about 415 TWh in 2024 (around 235 TWh near 2020 at ~12%/yr) rising to roughly 945 TWh by 2030 in IEA's Base Case.
Key Finding: Data-centre electricity use is projected to nearly double between 2024 and 2030.
Added Data-Centre Demand by Region (to 2030)
Increase in data-centre electricity consumption by 2030 over 2024 levels, by region, under IEA's Base Case. The US and China together represent nearly 80% of global data-centre demand growth.
Key Finding: The US adds about 240 TWh and China about 175 TWh of data-centre demand by 2030.
Where Demand Growth Comes From
Share of additional global electricity demand growth to 2027 by economy group. China provides more than half of the gains and emerging economies overall account for about 85%.
Key Finding: China supplies 54% of demand growth; advanced economies just 15%.
Understanding Electricity Demand Data
What electricity demand measures
Figures track total electricity demand (final consumption plus transmission and distribution losses and own-use) across all sectors. IEA reports growth in both percentage and absolute terawatt-hour (TWh) terms; one TWh equals one billion kilowatt-hours. The 2024 record reflects an estimated +1,080 TWh increase, or +4.3% year on year.
What drives demand
Growth is concentrated in electrification of transport (EVs) and heating (heat pumps), expanding air conditioning and cooling, clean-energy and industrial manufacturing, and data centres and AI. Most net growth occurs in China and emerging economies, which together account for roughly 85% of additional demand through 2027.
Data-centre measurement uncertainty
Data-centre electricity use is hard to measure precisely: estimates exclude crypto mining in some series, depend on assumptions about server utilisation and cooling efficiency, and vary by source. IEA estimates around 415 TWh in 2024 (about 1.5% of global use), but published estimates range widely because facilities rarely disclose metered consumption.
Projection caveats
Forward figures are scenario projections, not forecasts of certainty. The 945 TWh by 2030 data-centre figure is IEA's Base Case; alternative cases span a wide band depending on AI adoption, chip efficiency and grid constraints. Demand growth rates for 2025-2027 are subject to revision with weather, economic activity and policy.