๐๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐โ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ 17๐๐ต ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฑ๐น๐.
Andreas Horn
The rapid growth of data centers is seriously undermining global CO2 reduction efforts. Here are some key facts highlighting their environmental impact:
- Current Consumption: Data centers currently consume 1-2% of global power, with projections suggesting this could rise to 3-4% by the end of the decade.
- Carbon Emissions: These emissions are expected to more than double between 2022 and 2030.
- Rapid Growth: While workloads nearly tripled from 2015 to 2019, power demand has remained steady at around 200 terawatt-hours per year.
- AI Impact: A single ChatGPT query uses 2.9 watt-hours, compared to 0.3 watt-hours for a Google search. By 2030, AI could add 200 terawatt-hours per year to data center power consumption.
- Carbon Footprint: Data centers now emit more carbon than all global airline travel combined, surpassing most major nations.
- Social Cost: The increase in data center carbon emissions could impose a social cost of $125-140 billion in present value.
Europe’s Challenge:
- Aging Power Grid: Europe, with the oldest power grid globally, faces significant challenges in keeping new data centers powered. A recent Goldman Sachs study indicates that over โฌ1 trillion ($1.1 trillion) will be required for grid upgrades and renewable energy investments.
- Rising Power Demand: European power demand is expected to grow by 40-50% between 2023 and 2033.
- Future Needs: By 2030, European data centers, which currently house 15% of global capacity, will require power equivalent to the combined needs of Portugal, Greece, and the Netherlands.
As the push towards advanced AI technologies accelerates, energy consumption is set to soar, with training new models becoming increasingly energy-intensive.
