Data centers to spend $580 billion, surpassing oil supplies

The IEA describes the current moment as the “Age of Electricity,” where electric power underpins over 40% of global economic activity but still represents only 20% of final energy use. https://lnkd.in/gksnNDjk

Major #LNG wave to alter #energy market dynamics, benefit Asia: IEA ▪️Large LNG supplies from the US, Canada, Australia, Qatar ▪️Electricity #demand surges on AI, air conditioners, EV usage 🖥️Full story: https://okt.to/xA5QJg

Major #LNG wave to alter #energy market dynamics, benefit Asia: IEA ▪️Large LNG supplies from the US, Canada, Australia, Qatar ▪️Electricity #demand surges on AI, air conditioners, EV usage 🖥️Full story: https://okt.to/YaV5gZ

IEA Warns Europe Must Upgrade Energy Systems As New Data Centres Could Reach 10% Of Peak Demand In Spain And The Netherlands And 4–5% In Germany And France Europe has long been a major centre for data centre development. In 2015, the region held more than a quarter of global data centre capacity. However, over the past decade, data centre growth in the United States and China has accelerated more quickly, reducing Europe’s share of global capacity to about 15% in 2024. During this period, Europe’s data centre market expanded at roughly half the global average growth rate. In response to this shift, the European Commission introduced the AI Continent Action Plan in April 2025. One of its key goals is to triple the European Union’s total data […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/ddXjE65W #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #cleanenergy #datacentres #electricity #energysecurity #energysolutions #europe #grid #internationalenergyagency #renewableenergy #renewableenergy #solarenergy

The nation’s power grid is entering a new era of soaring demand – the full extent of which remains uncertain – and energy leaders warn that investments in new generation, efficiency, and infrastructure must begin now to prevent future shortfalls. U.S. electricity demand is projected to rise 25% by 2030 and up to 78% by 2050, with peak demand growing 14% and 54% over the same period, according to a new report by consulting and technology firm ICF. #PJM #Energy ICF https://lnkd.in/eJtWTDsd

The IEA's latest World Energy Outlook offers a blend of conservative projections and intriguing perspectives on the energy landscape. In the outlined scenarios: - Fossil fuel demand reaches its peak, even in the conservative approach under stated policies (STEPS), showcasing a lag in embracing technological advancements. - The scenario projecting ongoing fossil fuel expansion (CPS) relies on impractical expectations regarding the rise of renewables and electric vehicles (EVs). - Renewables and electrification emerge as pivotal drivers of progress across all scenarios, potentially significantly undervalued in current estimations. The report sheds light on the evolving energy sector, emphasizing the pivotal role of renewables and electrification in shaping the future energy landscape. #EnergyFuture #Renewables #Electrification https://lnkd.in/d4T8jdeM

Skyrocketing electricity demand complicates decarbonization efforts in Appalachia, a region whose emissions cuts have come primarily from swapping coal for gas. Further decarbonization gains are “functionally impossible” without replacing gas with zero-carbon electricity, Research Fellow Zane Gustafson’s new blog explains, yet the regional PJM grid is prioritizing new gas plants to meet projected electricity demand. https://lnkd.in/ew28gPt7

⚡ Electrification: the way out of the mess Over the past few weeks, a number of reports have underlined a growing consensus: electrification is the route to cheaper and more secure energy. ✍ From the Centre for British Progress’ call to “cut bills and boost electrification” (https://lnkd.in/ep3Ssy9h), to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change’s push to reset Britain’s electricity strategy (https://lnkd.in/eHAzX4XS), and Ember’s analysis of how electrification can strengthen Europe’s energy security (https://lnkd.in/eR7Bg25A), there’s a clear signal: electrification is no longer a niche topic - it’s central to Britain and Europe’s energy future. While the reports differ in their specific recommendations, it’s encouraging to see a growing emphasis on electrifying our homes, businesses and industries as the solution - the foundation for lowering bills, boosting energy security, and delivering growth. Ember’s EU-focused work also reminds us that shared challenges mean shared solutions - lessons from across Europe can help Britain accelerate its own electrification journey. ⚠️ Now is the time to double down on electrification - to build a better, fairer and more resilient economy. #ElectrifyBritain #Electrification #Growth #Energybills

THE GRID IS THE NEW OIL I took a quick look at the IEA World Energy Outlook 2025 this week. And a few insights definitely made me stop and think. 1. ELECTRICITY DEMAND WILL RISE ABOUT 40 PERCENT BY 2035 This is roughly like adding the entire electricity use of the European Union on top of today’s global system. 2. WE NEED THE LARGEST GRID BUILD OUT IN HISTORY The world will need to roughly double its total grid length by 2040. Millions of kilometres of new lines. Enough cable to wrap around the Earth almost eighty times. 3. THE GRID IS THE WEAK LINK Around 80 to 85 percent of major energy disruptions come from transmission and distribution issues, not from power plants. 4. INVESTMENT IS OUT OF BALANCE Since 2015, investment in power generation is up nearly 70 percent. Grid investment is up less than half of that. Today the world spends more than USD 700 billion a year on generation and only about USD 400 billion on grids. 5. DIGITALISATION IS ADDING PRESSURE Data centre electricity demand could triple by 2035. This year, investment in data centres will exceed upstream oil spending. The challenge is not producing energy it is moving it to where it is needed. 6. CRITICAL MINERALS ARE A STRUCTURAL RISK One country controls around 70 percent of refining capacity for most key minerals used in grids and clean technologies. More than half are already under export restrictions. WHY THIS MATTERS The energy transition will not be defined by how much power we can generate. It will be defined by how much we can move. The energy matrix is getting cleaner, more diverse and more decentralised. Solar, wind, storage and distributed generation are all moving fast. These are positive steps. But they all depend on the same thing strong, modern and flexible grids. Renewables are variable. They are often far from where energy is consumed. And they place more pressure on transmission and distribution systems. The matrix gives us better energy but the grid decides whether we can use it. A FINAL THOUGHT Everyone wants cheap energy, fast connectivity and unlimited digital capacity yet new lines face resistance everywhere. Maybe part of the answer is subsea networks quiet cables nobody sees, nobody hears and nobody protests. Modern subsea routes have a very small footprint and most studies show limited impact on marine life especially when cables are buried or follow existing corridors. If demand keeps rising this fast are we ready to rethink where, and how, we build the backbone of the modern world? #EnergyTransition #GridModernisation #Electrification #Transmission #SubseaCables #EnergyInfrastructure #CleanEnergy #FutureOfEnergy

💾 Data Centers Outspend Oil Global spending on data centers hits $580B in 2025, overtaking new oil projects. Cities race to build massive clusters, straining power grids, while renewables aim to fuel the digital backbone of tomorrow.