‘Data doomsday’ approaches as energy demand outstrips supply
By 2025 our access to global renewable energy will be unable to meet the needs of digital.
According to a new paper published in the journal Energy Policy by Loughborough Business School academics Dr Vitor Castro, and Professors Tom Jackson and Ian Hodgkinson, the world is on course for ‘data doomsday’ next year.
Econometric modelling shows that on current energy projections, the global supply of electricity will be incapable of meeting surging demand within the next five years.
Unless something changes, by 2033 the electricity needs to store data alone could outstrip total supply. Data centres already consumer more energy than the UK, and 65% of this goes on ‘dark data – single use knowledge assets which are forgotten about but continue to use power.
Loughborough University’s Digital Decarb Design Group is now calling for urgent action to tackle the environmental impact and challenges of ‘unchecked digital data growth’. This includes a call to policymakers, industry leaders, broader digital ecosystems to take decisive steps on energy efficiency, reducing data waste, and moving towards greener infrastructure.
‘Our research underlines the need for a data-centric sustainability approach across all supply chains, sectors, industries, and nations. Such measures are crucial to increase efficiency, cut energy usage, and transition towards a decarbonised digital ecosystem, thereby supporting the global pursuit of a sustainable, net-zero future,’ said Dr Castro. ‘This isn’t just a technical challenge; it’s a societal imperative. We must shift from consumption-driven growth to sustainable practices that align digital advancements with ecological limits.’
More on data management:
https://infotec.news/2024/11/25/business-leaders-claim-data-is-easy-to-use-it-staff-struggle/
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