Growing data centre energy demand could delay fossil fuel phase-out
Nearly two-thirds of added generation to meet data centre demand is expected to come from fossil fuels.
The rise of AI is expected to drive a large increase in data centre electricity demand, which in turn could help extend the life of coal and other fossil-based power plants, according to BloombergNEF.
In its latest New Energy Outlook, BNEF warns that an additional 362 gigawatts of power plant capacity (roughly three times the amount of wind capacity installed last year) will be required by 2035 to meet data centre energy demand.
