Data Center Server Energy Use Grows Across The Commercial Building Stock

cleantechnica.com May 20, 2026

Data Center Server Energy Use Grows Across The Commercial Building Stock

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · May 20, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

The US Department of Energy projects that electricity consumed by data center servers will increase across the commercial building stock, with standalone data centers driving the growth. By 2050, server consumption is expected to reach between 446 billion and 818 billion kilowatthours. Servers alone accounted for 7% of commercial sector electricity consumption in 2025 and will grow to 22-33% by 2050. The commercial sector's electricity intensity will exceed the 2003 historical high by 2031-2032, driven by data center servers and associated end uses. Data center servers require cooling to operate efficiently, increasing energy intensity.

💡 Why It Matters

· Rising data center energy use strains the power grid, particularly as space cooling requirements become more energy-intensive.
· Increased server installations drive overall consumption growth, despite potential efficiency improvements.

Capsules Energy

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