Amid explosive demand, America is running out of power
Washington PostFEB 21 2024
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has reported that global demand for electricity is expected to increase by 4% in 2024, the highest since 2007. Warmer temperatures, economic growth, and artificial intelligence (AI) were cited as key drivers.
Electricity consumption in China and India is expected to increase by 6.5% and 8% respectively. The expansion of electric vehicles in China, as well as heatwaves and GDP growth in India, were factors behind the increases.
Demand growth in 2023 amounted to 2.5%. Besides rising temperatures increasing demand for climate control, the growth of data centers and the deployment of AI systems is expected to be a factor, although a lack of reliable data makes the full impact difficult to predict.