Weekly headlines on AI data centres herald soaring energy footprints, eye-catching contracts for low-carbon power, alarm over electricity network congestion, and backsliding of tech companies’ net-zero commitments. Amid this emphasis on the direct impact of AI on energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the implications of how and for what AI is used are less discussed – at least in relation to energy and climate. In this report and policy briefing, the iDODDLE team set the current focus on data centre energy needs for large genAI models in the context of historical experience with cloud computing and in all the AI applications across different sectors of the economy and society. The take home? The indirect energy impact of AI applications is larger, more uncertain, more diffuse, and harder to regulate – and so of greater concern. Read the full report for more!
The full iDODDLE Oxford Energy Forum report can be accessed here.
Fig 1. Projected increase in data centre electricity consumption in different regions. Circle markers show level in year projection was made; arrowheads show level in year projection ends (extrapolated linearly to 2030 with dotted lines). Source: Various.