Considering the increase of digital services in for personal and business matters, data centres provide the critical infrastructure which power cloud-based services, banking systems, streaming platforms, and other business applications. Due to the complexity of the electrical systems required to power data centres, it is important for centres to continually monitor their electrical efficiency to maintain the overall integrity of systems, reduce long-term costs, in addition to managing environmental impact and grid reliability.
Data Centre Energy Efficiency
Data centres use significant amounts of energy, with global estimates from the International Energy Agency reporting in 2022 that data centres represented roughly 1–1.3% of worldwide electricity demand with an estimated power usage between 240 and 340 terawatt-hours. However, despite rapid growth in data traffic and computing needs, in recent years, efficiency improvements in hardware, cooling, and operational practices have moderately stifled the growth of energy consumption in data centres in comparison to the pace of digital expansion. Similarly, it is important to recognise that with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and new high-performance computing technologies demand is expected to increase significantly over the coming decade, with some industry forecasts suggesting that electricity demand for data centres could more than double by the end of the next decade if current trends continue.
Data Centre Energy Consumption Factors
Perhaps the largest contributor to data centre consumption is continuous operations, as servers and storage systems must run constantly for 24 hours 365 days a year. While many would automatically assume that servers and IT equipment uses most of the energy, there are other factors such as cooling systems, power distribution losses, backup systems, lighting and emergency lighting, and humidity controls that can contribute to overall electrical demands. Maintaining efficient cooling and airflow design, renewable energy sourcing, and advanced power management in data centres are crucial factors when considering overall energy consumption and areas for reducing energy waste. One simple metric for data centres to measure their energy is their power usage effectiveness, which which compares total facility energy use to the energy consumed by IT equipment, with a reading of 1.0 reflecting ideal efficiency, a lower number indicates better overall energy efficiency.
Irish Data Centres Energy Usage
This is important for Irish data centres, as Ireland has become one of Europe’s largest hubs for the technological industry, and this rapid expansion of data centres in recent years has had significant implications for electricity consumption. While global energy demand of data centres as noted above was at 1-1.3% in 2022, in 2024, demand in Ireland from data centres accounted for 22% of Ireland’s total metered electricity usage in 2024, an increase of 5% from 2015. This dramatic growth illustrates the scale of demand and highlights how such increased consumption can place pressure on the national grid and more broadly challenge Ireland’s climate targets. Likewise, it is important to consider that recent projections also suggest that by 2030, demand from data centres could approximate the electricity needs of two million Irish homes, so it is crucial for businesses operating business centres to maintain efficient systems and monitoring to reduce environmental impact and stress on the electrical grid.
Data Centre Energy Efficiency
For data centre operators and their customers, energy efficiency provides several business benefits, such as lower electricity use, which translates into reduced operational costs, and efficiency practices can also support sustainability goals. By prioritising efficiency, namely through better design, monitoring, renewable sourcing, and continuous optimising and overseeing systems, data centres and their operators can reduce their environmental footprint and their costs.
Data Centre Energy Efficiency Audit
We’re well versed in working with the complex needs of data centres and clients in Ireland and offer a free site audit to ensure that all future services meet the safety requirements and efficacy standards specific to the site, its electrical systems and energy use. Give us a call now on 01-9602636 or contact us online to get a data centre energy audit.
If you found this post helpful make sure you check out our post about Data Centre Electrical Maintenance.
