TrendForce forecasts that global electricity demand in data centers will reach 161 GW by 2026 – a 31% increase from 122.9 GW in 2025. By 2027, the figure will grow to 211 GW, and by 2030, it will reach 490.7 GW. The main driver is the construction of AI infrastructure.
The share of AI servers in the energy balance of data centers will increase from about 25% in 2025 to 33.4% in 2026 and will exceed 40% by 2027. Capital expenditures for cloud providers are rising by more than 30% per year until 2027.
TrendForce points to the widening gap between data center demand and the capabilities of power grids. By 2030, the available grid capacity will be about 222.6 GW against a demand of 490.7 GW – a deficit of approximately 268 GW. The U.S. is particularly vulnerable: the deficit will exceed 170 GW by 2030, concentrating in the PJM, ERCOT, and MISO regions.
To bridge the gap, TrendForce highlights high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, which allow energy to be transmitted over long distances with lower losses. The concentration of demand in U.S. regions could lead to rising wholesale electricity prices, affecting not only data centers but also industrial and residential consumers.
Related articles
