AI and energy: the new innovation of the 21st century
- REDAÇÃO H2RADAR
- Apr 16
- 2 min read
Artificial intelligence, while revolutionizing productive, scientific and social processes, is putting increasing pressure on the world's energy infrastructure. This is according to the new and comprehensive report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Energy and AI, which provides an unprecedented overview of the impacts of AI on the global electricity grid. According to the document, demand for electricity from data centers is expected to more than double by 2030, reaching around 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) — a volume equivalent to the current electricity consumption of Japan.
Much of this growth will be driven by the rise of AI-optimized data centers, whose electricity demand is expected to quadruple in the same period. In the United States, for example, data centers could account for almost half of the growth in electricity demand by the end of the decade, surpassing the consumption of energy-intensive industrial sectors such as aluminum, steel and cement. A similar scenario is projected for other advanced economies, where data centers are expected to account for more than 20% of the increase in energy demand.
While additional electricity will come from multiple sources, the report predicts that renewables and natural gas will take center stage, due to competitiveness and availability in strategic markets. However, the speed and cost of this expansion remain uncertain, putting pressure on governments, grid operators and investors to act quickly and with a systemic vision.
AI: threat, solution and catalyst for a new energy era
While representing a new axis of intensive consumption, artificial intelligence is also highlighted by the IEA as a powerful tool for positive transformation in the energy sector. With its capacity for real-time analysis and continuous learning, AI is already beginning to reduce operating costs, greenhouse gas emissions and systemic risks. Its use in network monitoring, demand forecasting, preventive maintenance and climate modeling can make the energy system more efficient, resilient and flexible.
The report, however, does not ignore the risks. AI can intensify existing vulnerabilities, such as dependence on critical minerals — whose stocks are concentrated in a few countries — and increase cyber threats, with attacks on energy utilities having tripled in the last four years. In contrast, AI itself becomes a strategic ally in combating these threats, by improving the cybersecurity of critical infrastructures.
In addition, the technology is emerging as an accelerator of innovation. Applied to research, it can catalyze discoveries in batteries, solar photovoltaic energy and new materials, becoming a key player in the energy transition. To this end, the IEA recommends a coordinated agenda of investments in electricity generation, network modernization, increased efficiency of data centers and close collaboration between governments, the technology sector and the energy industry.
