Part 5/9:
According to 2023 reports, data centers in the United States consumed around 176 terawatt-hours of electricity, accounting for approximately 4.4% of total electricity generation. Projections suggest that this figure may escalate to between 6.7% and 12% by 2028. The trend is especially evident in areas like video streaming services, with platforms such as Netflix and YouTube contributing heavily to this consumption. Additionally, Bitcoin mining is emerging as a power-hungry activity, rivaling the electricity demands of entire countries.
AI technology, too, adds to the burden. In just a few years, AI's energy consumption is expected to surge, reflecting the historical increase in performance and power requirements of chips from manufacturers like Nvidia, Intel, and AMD.