How much electricity do data centers use?
The headline figures, who produced them, and why they differ. Sources checked 5 November 2026.
The headline figures
| Scope | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| United States, 2023 | 176 TWh, about 4.4% of US electricity | Berkeley Lab news, 15 January 2025 |
| United States, 2028 (projected) | 325 to 580 TWh, about 6.7% to 12% of US electricity | Berkeley Lab news, 15 January 2025 |
| World, 2025 | About 485 TWh | IEA, Key Questions on Energy and AI |
| World, 2030 (projected) | About 950 TWh | IEA, Key Questions on Energy and AI |
Who produced them
The US figures come from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's 2024 report for the US Department of Energy (LBNL, 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report). The global figures come from the International Energy Agency. Both are modeled estimates, not the sum of metered readings from every facility.
Why estimates differ
- Scope: studies differ in what they include, such as cryptocurrency mining or data-transmission networks.
- Year: a 2023 baseline and a 2025 baseline describe different fleets.
- Method: bottom-up equipment models and top-down utility data give different results.
- Projections: ranges reflect assumptions about AI demand and efficiency, which is why the US projection spans 325 to 580 TWh.
What national totals cannot tell you
A national total cannot tell you how much energy one model, query or rack uses. That needs measurement at a declared meter point: chip, board, system or facility. See how to measure AI inference energy.
From totals to a ledger
The Joule Ledger splits any system's energy into five accounts: intake, reserve, work, overhead and waste. Facility-level figures like these sit at M4; useful work sits inside them, at M3 and below.
Questions
Why are the projections ranges?
Future AI demand, hardware efficiency and utilization are uncertain, so both sources give ranges or scenarios rather than a single number.
How often are these figures updated?
The US report was published in December 2024. AAERL reviews this page when either source publishes new figures.
Sources
Keep reading
Take the next step.
How much electricity data centers use in the US and worldwide, who estimated it, why estimates differ, and what measurement adds, as of November 2026.