Air Conditioning, Not Data Centers, Driving Global Energy Demand Growth

When it's hot, air conditioners help us keep indoors cool, but the machines are driving up the use of fossil fuels. Often the problem has been conjured up in recent years. Now there are new figures that prove it.

Air Conditioning, Not Data Centers, Driving Global Energy Demand Growth

Air conditioning will contribute more to rising global energy demand than data centers through 2030, according to an International Energy Agency. While attention has focused on computing power consumption, the IEA projects data centers will account for less than 10% of increased energy demand by 2030, significantly less than space cooling requirements. Global cooling degree days, a measure of air conditioning need, were 6% higher in 2024 than 20…