The opportunities and challenges of AI for global energy

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has explored the opportunities and challenges caused by artificial intelligence with regard to global energy.

Training and publishing advanced artificial intelligence models occurs within vast energy -thirsty data centers. The typical data center that focuses on artificial intelligence consumes the largest amount of electricity that reaches 100,000, “IEA is noticed, where the facilities are expected to request more than 20 times.

Increase data center investments

Global investment has doubled in databases almost since 2022, when it reached half a trillion dollars in 2024, raising concerns about meeting the electricity needs.

While databases represent about 1.5 % of global electricity consumption in 2024 (about 415 TERWATT, TwH,) their local effect is much more important. Consumption has grown annually by about 12 % since 2017, as it exceeded the growth in the growth of electricity demand.

The United States leads this consumption (45 %), followed by China (25 %) and Europe (15 %). Almost half of the data center capacity is concentrated in only five regional groups.

Looking forward, IEA Projects Global Data Center Center Center to more than twice by 2030 to reach about 945 TWH. To put it in the context, this is a little more than the current total electricity consumption in Japan.

Artificial intelligence has been determined as “the most important driver for this growth.” The United States is expected to see the largest increase, as data centers can represent nearly half of the growth of electricity demand by 2030. By the end of the contract, American databases are expected to consume more electricity than joint use in the industrial industrial industries made of aluminum, steel, cement, chemistry and other energy.

The IEA “foundation” stretches, as it expects about 1200 TWH Electricity consumption at the Global Data Center by 2035. However, there are major uncertainty cases, with 2035 expectations ranging from 700 TWH (the state of the opposite wind “) to 1700 TWH (take off)) depending on carpentry tools and power parking.

“Amnesty International is one of the largest stories in the energy world today-but so far, politics and market makers were lacking tools to understand the extensively wide effects,” said Vatier Birol, IEA CEO.

“In the United States, databases are on their way to an account of nearly half of the growth in electricity demand; in Japan, more than half; and in Malaysia, by five.”

Meeting global demand for artificial intelligence energy

This artificial intelligence boom requires a variety of energy wallets. IEA suggests renewable energy sources and natural gas will take the initiative, but emerging technologies such as small nuclear nuclear reactors (SMRS) and the advanced ground party also have a role.

It is expected to meet renewable energy, with the support of the storage infrastructure and network, half -growth in the demand for the data center worldwide until 2035. Natural gas is crucial, especially in the United States, and expands by 175 TwH to meet the needs of the data center by 2035 in the basic state. Nuclear energy similarly, especially in China, Japan and the United States, contributes to the first SMRS around 2030.

However, increasing the generation is not sufficient. IEA emphasizes the decisive need for infrastructure promotions, especially the network investment. The current networks have already been tense, which may delay about 20 % of the planned data center projects worldwide due to the complex lists of communication lists and long lead times for basic components such as transformers.

Artificial intelligence capabilities to improve energy systems

Besides energy requirements, artificial intelligence provides great potential to revolutionize the energy sector itself.

IEA details many apps:

• Energy supplies: The oil and gas industry – early from the adopted – is used artificial intelligence to improve exploration, production, maintenance and safety, including reducing methane emissions. Artificial intelligence can also help explore critical minerals.
• Electricity Sector: Amnesty International can improve the prediction of changing renewable energy sources, which reduces reduce. It enhances the network budget, detecting breakdowns (reducing periods of power outages by 30-50 %), and can open the large transmission capacity through the most intelligent-175 GB management without building new lines.
• End uses: In the industry, AI’s dependence on the improvement of the process can provide energy savings equivalent to the total energy consumption in Mexico today. Transport applications such as traffic management and track improvement can provide 120 million cars, although the effects of reversal from independent vehicles need to be monitored. The possibilities of improving buildings are important, but they are impeded by slow digitization.
• innovation: Amnesty International can accelerate the discovery and test of new energy technologies, such as advanced battery chemistry, artificial fuel stimuli, and carbon capture materials. However, the energy sector currently reduces artificial intelligence for innovation compared to areas such as biomedics.

Cooperation is the key to mobility in challenges

Despite the capabilities, the important barriers hinder the full integration of AI in the energy sector. These problems include access to data and quality quality, insufficient infrastructure and digital skills (focusing artificial intelligence talents in the energy sectors, organizational obstacles, and security concerns.

Cybrian security is a double -edged sword: While artificial intelligence enhances defense capabilities, it also provides the attackers with advanced tools. Electronic attacks on facilities have multiplied three times in the past four years.

The supply chain safety is another concern, especially with regard to critical minerals such as Gallium (used in advanced chips) where the display is highly concentrated.

IEA concludes that the deeper dialogue and cooperation between the technology sector, the energy industry and policy makers is very important. Treating network integration challenges requires the location of Smarter Data Center, exploring operational flexibility, and simplifying the permit.

While artificial intelligence provides opportunities for large emissions discounts through improvement, and exceeding emissions from databases, these gains are not guaranteed and can be compensated by the effects of apostasy.

“Amnesty International is a tool, which is likely to be incredibly strong, but it is up to us – our societies, our governments and companies – how we use it,” said Dr. Birol.

“IEA will continue to provide data, analysis and forums for dialogue to help policymakers and other stakeholders move forward as the energy sector is the future of artificial intelligence, and Amnesty International is the future of energy.”

(Photo by Javier Miranda)

See also: The United Kingdom is the AI ​​Energy Council to align the growth and sustainability goals

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