AI Data Centers Must Transition to 100% Renewable Energy by 2030 — UN Secretary-General Urges
22.07.2025On July 22, 2025, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the global tech industry to ensure that all data centers supporting artificial intelligence (AI) operate on 100% renewable energy by the year 2030. His statement was made during the presentation of a new UN report on the global energy transition.
“A typical AI data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, and the largest ones currently under construction consume 20 times more,” Guterres emphasized.
He stated that the technology sector must take the lead in transitioning to clean energy.
AI’s Soaring Energy Demand: A Growing Risk
According to the latest UN estimates, data centers worldwide consumed approximately 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024 — about 1.5% of global electricity demand. If current trends continue, that figure may more than double by 2030, reaching 945 TWh annually — equivalent to the current yearly consumption of the entire country of Japan.
Renewable Energy Is Expanding — But Still Falls Short
In 2024, 92.5% of all newly installed electricity generation capacity globally came from renewable sources. Total global investment in clean energy reached $2 trillion — $800 billion more than was invested in fossil fuels.
Despite this progress, it remains insufficient. Electricity consumption is growing rapidly, fueled by advances in AI, data infrastructure, and the energy required for cooling systems. Meanwhile, fossil fuel production continues to rise, threatening global climate goals set under the Paris Agreement.
A Call to Action: Governments and Business Must Accelerate the Transition
Guterres urged governments, corporations, and investors to act now and capitalize on a historic opportunity:
“This is the dawn of a new energy era. We must seize this opportunity to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and deliver a clean future for all.”
Sources:
United Nations Secretary-General’s official remarks, 22 July 2025; UN News, Reuters, TechInformed, TerraDaily.
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