CALGARY, Alberta (Sept. 17, 2024) — Enverus Intelligence® Research (EIR), a subsidiary of Enverus, the most trusted energy-dedicated SaaS company that leverages generative AI across its solutions, has released an updated view on its data center load and the technology enabling exponential computing growth. EIR’s analysis breaks down often ignored components of computational energy use and quantitively describes a future where exponential growth in computing doesn’t require the same trend in energy consumption.
“Our base case forecasts power consumption from computing demand will grow from 122 TWh in 2023 to 266 TWh by 2035,” said Carson Kearl, EIR analyst. “Exponential gains in computing efficiency from chips and next-generation cooling capabilities protect data center load from growing at an unsustainable rate.”
Key takeaways from the report:
- In our base case, L48 data center power consumption is expected to rise to 266 TWh in 2035. In the high-case scenario with rapid technology commercialization and expanded onshore training, potential data center power consumption could reach almost 600 TWh.
- Over the same period, we expect average power usage effectiveness ratings to fall significantly as liquid immersion and other cooling technologies dominate new facility buildout.
- Data center power demand would drop if not for AI due to efficiency improvements in chips and cooling technology.
- GPU efficiency gains are expected to continue to trend at almost 20% per year after two consecutive years of significant deviations.
- EIR’s forecast largely aligns with the Jevons Paradox, which holds that efficiency gains in computing lead to increased demand for computing power, though the resulting power demand is not as closely correlated.
EIR’s analysis pulls from a variety of Enverus products including Enverus Intelligence® Research and Enverus FOUNDATIONS®.
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About Enverus Intelligence® Research:
Enverus Intelligence ® | Research, Inc. (EIR) is a subsidiary of Enverus that publishes energy-sector research focused on the oil, natural gas, power and renewable industries. EIR publishes reports including asset and company valuations, resource assessments, technical evaluations and macro-economic forecasts; and helps make intelligent connections for energy industry participants, service companies and capital providers worldwide. Enverus is the most trusted, energy-dedicated SaaS company, with a platform built to create value from generative AI, offering real-time access to analytics, insights and benchmark cost and revenue data sourced from our partnerships to 95% of U.S. energy producers, and more than 40,000 suppliers. Learn more at Enverus.com.
