AI data centers could reach 1% of global electricity

A new Nature study projects that six leading technology operators’ AI-oriented data centers could consume 239–295 TWh in 2030, up from roughly 118 TWh in 2024 — about 1% of projected global electricity demand. The paper models conservative, neutral, and optimistic expansion scenarios rather than measuring future load, and says fewer than 10 regions could account for nearly two-thirds of demand. For builders, site selection and power contracts now deserve the same scrutiny as GPU availability; Crusoe’s delivery-backed capacity test is the right operator lens.