Data centers: how to anticipate the surge in energy consumption?

By 2030, data centers could consume close to 945 TWh of electricity per year — the equivalent of Japan’s current electricity consumption. This figure illustrates the scale of the challenges raised by the growth of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

Speaking on Radio Classique’s “Le chiffre du jour” segment, Béatrice Boisnier shed light on the issues raised by the growth of large electricity consumers, echoing the findings of our 2026 Energy Transitions Observatory.

Key takeaways include:

• the capacity of grids to accommodate new projects, with costs and timelines varying by territory;
• the attractiveness of states, now closely tied to energy availability, regulatory stability and infrastructure capacity;
• the growing role of consumption flexibility as an optimization tool for grids and project developers.