Greenhouse gas emissions: Altered authors 1-1.← Previous revisionRevision as of 04:30, 8 November 2026 Line 235: Line 235: === Greenhouse gas emissions === === Greenhouse gas emissions === In 2024, data centers were estimated to account for about 1.5% of global electricity consumption (approximately 415 TWh) and around 1% of greenhouse gas emissions according to U.S. [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA).{{Cite news |last=s.kallova@gresb.com |date=May 14, 2025 |title=Understanding embodied and operational carbon in data centers: ESG considerations |url=https://www.gresb.com/nl-en/understanding-embodied-and-operational-carbon-in-data-centers-esg-considerations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250806130535/https://www.gresb.com/nl-en/understanding-embodied-and-operational-carbon-in-data-centers-esg-considerations/ |archive-date=August 6, 2025 |access-date=November 7, 2025 |work=GRESB |language=en-GB}} However, the rapid expansion is causing projections to rise sharply. Due to accelerated demand from AI, global data center [[Electric energy consumption|electricity consumption]] is projected to more than double to around 945 TWh by 2030 in the IEA's base-case scenario, representing just under 3% of 2030 total global electricity consumption.{{Cite web |title=Energy demand from AI – Energy and AI – Analysis |url=https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai |access-date=November 7, 2025 |website=IEA |language=en-GB |archive-date=May 17, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260517032539/https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai |url-status=live }} This growing electricity demand, much of which is still generated by fossil fuels, increases the potential environmental impacts.{{Cite news |last=Kantor |first=Alice |date=May 18, 2021 |title=Big Tech races to clean up act as cloud energy use grows |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/c719f655-149c-4ce0-a7a5-18527c7776cf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/c719f655-149c-4ce0-a7a5-18527c7776cf |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=March 6, 2022}} In addition to operational energy demand, embodied life cycle emissions should be considered, which include the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and recycling or disposal of materials used in the construction of facilities and hardware.{{Cite web |title=Data Centres and Data Transmission Networks – Analysis |url=https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705054839/https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks |archive-date=July 5, 2023 |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=IEA |language=en-GB}} In 2024, data centers were estimated to account for about 1.5% of global electricity consumption (approximately 415 TWh) and around 1% of greenhouse gas emissions according to U.S. [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA).{{Cite news |last=Peralta-Sapienza |first=Eliana |date=May 14, 2025 |title=Understanding embodied and operational carbon in data centers: ESG considerations |url=https://www.gresb.com/nl-en/understanding-embodied-and-operational-carbon-in-data-centers-esg-considerations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250806130535/https://www.gresb.com/nl-en/understanding-embodied-and-operational-carbon-in-data-centers-esg-considerations/ |archive-date=August 6, 2025 |access-date=November 7, 2025 |work=GRESB |language=en-GB}} However, the rapid expansion is causing projections to rise sharply. Due to accelerated demand from AI, global data center [[Electric energy consumption|electricity consumption]] is projected to more than double to around 945 TWh by 2030 in the IEA's base-case scenario, representing just under 3% of 2030 total global electricity consumption.{{Cite web |title=Energy demand from AI – Energy and AI – Analysis |url=https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai |access-date=November 7, 2025 |website=IEA |language=en-GB |archive-date=May 17, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260517032539/https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai |url-status=live }} This growing electricity demand, much of which is still generated by fossil fuels, increases the potential environmental impacts.{{Cite news |last=Kantor |first=Alice |date=May 18, 2021 |title=Big Tech races to clean up act as cloud energy use grows |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/c719f655-149c-4ce0-a7a5-18527c7776cf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/c719f655-149c-4ce0-a7a5-18527c7776cf |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=March 6, 2022}} In addition to operational energy demand, embodied life cycle emissions should be considered, which include the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and recycling or disposal of materials used in the construction of facilities and hardware.{{Cite web |title=Data Centres and Data Transmission Networks – Analysis |url=https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705054839/https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks |archive-date=July 5, 2023 |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=IEA |language=en-GB}} Global data center carbon dioxide emissions are projected to rise from an estimated 220 million tonnes in 2024 to 300–320 million tonnes by 2035.{{Cite web |last=say |first=Niva Yadav Have your |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Morgan Stanley: Data center industry will emit 2.5bn tons of CO2 by 2030 |url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/morgan-stanley-data-center-industry-will-emit-25bn-tons-of-co2-by-2030/ |access-date=November 7, 2025 |archive-date=January 4, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104052317/https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/morgan-stanley-data-center-industry-will-emit-25bn-tons-of-co2-by-2030/ |url-status=live }} In 2024, Google and [[Microsoft]] each consumed 24 TWh – more than many countries.{{Cite web |author1=Craig Hale |date=July 15, 2024 |title=Google and Microsoft now each consume more power than some fairly big countries |url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/google-and-microsoft-now-each-consume-more-power-than-some-fairly-big-countries |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=TechRadar |language=en |archive-date=September 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902171838/https://www.techradar.com/pro/google-and-microsoft-now-each-consume-more-power-than-some-fairly-big-countries |url-status=live }} As a result, there is increasing industry pressure for decarbonization. Companies are pursuing direct clean energy agreements, such as [[Tencent]] who has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030,{{Cite web |last=James |first=Greg |date=March 1, 2022 |title=Tencent pledges to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 |url=https://supchina.com/2022/03/01/tencent-pledges-to-achieve-carbon-neutrality-by-2030/ |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=SupChina |language=en-US |archive-date=July 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711133323/https://supchina.com/2022/03/01/tencent-pledges-to-achieve-carbon-neutrality-by-2030/ }} and Microsoft's 2024 agreement to re-open the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to provide 100% of the electric power for its [[AI data center]]s for 20 years.{{Cite news |last=Mandler |first=C. |date=September 20, 2024 |title=Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen to power Microsoft data centers |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/09/20/nx-s1-5120581/three-mile-island-nuclear-power-plant-microsoft-ai |access-date=November 7, 2025 |work=NPR |language=en |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124084952/https://www.npr.org/2024/09/20/nx-s1-5120581/three-mile-island-nuclear-power-plant-microsoft-ai |url-status=live }} Global data center carbon dioxide emissions are projected to rise from an estimated 220 million tonnes in 2024 to 300–320 million tonnes by 2035.{{Cite web |last=Yadav |first=Niva |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Morgan Stanley: Data center industry will emit 2.5bn tons of CO2 by 2030 |url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/morgan-stanley-data-center-industry-will-emit-25bn-tons-of-co2-by-2030/ |access-date=November 7, 2025 |archive-date=January 4, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260104052317/https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/morgan-stanley-data-center-industry-will-emit-25bn-tons-of-co2-by-2030/ |url-status=live }} In 2024, Google and [[Microsoft]] each consumed 24 TWh – more than many countries.{{Cite web |author1=Craig Hale |date=July 15, 2024 |title=Google and Microsoft now each consume more power than some fairly big countries |url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/google-and-microsoft-now-each-consume-more-power-than-some-fairly-big-countries |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=TechRadar |language=en |archive-date=September 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902171838/https://www.techradar.com/pro/google-and-microsoft-now-each-consume-more-power-than-some-fairly-big-countries |url-status=live }} As a result, there is increasing industry pressure for decarbonization. Companies are pursuing direct clean energy agreements, such as [[Tencent]] who has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030,{{Cite web |last=James |first=Greg |date=March 1, 2022 |title=Tencent pledges to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 |url=https://supchina.com/2022/03/01/tencent-pledges-to-achieve-carbon-neutrality-by-2030/ |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=SupChina |language=en-US |archive-date=July 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711133323/https://supchina.com/2022/03/01/tencent-pledges-to-achieve-carbon-neutrality-by-2030/ }} and Microsoft's 2024 agreement to re-open the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to provide 100% of the electric power for its [[AI data center]]s for 20 years.{{Cite news |last=Mandler |first=C. |date=September 20, 2024 |title=Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen to power Microsoft data centers |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/09/20/nx-s1-5120581/three-mile-island-nuclear-power-plant-microsoft-ai |access-date=November 7, 2025 |work=NPR |language=en |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124084952/https://www.npr.org/2024/09/20/nx-s1-5120581/three-mile-island-nuclear-power-plant-microsoft-ai |url-status=live }} === Economic analysis of energy use === === Economic analysis of energy use ===