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Datacentres using 6% of electricity supply in UK and US, research says
Industry body says energy consumption driven by AI up 15% globally in two years as it warns of societal backlash Datacentres are consuming 6% of electricity in the UK and US, with the growing strain of AI on energy supplies prompting community resistance, according to research. The proportion of electricity used by vast warehouses stacked with microchips to power AI and the internet has risen 15% worldwide in the past two years as annual global investment in datacentres approaches $1tn (£740bn) – nearly 1% of the global economy, according to the International Data Center Authority (IDCA). Continue reading...
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What happened
According to The Guardian’s source item, Datacentres using 6% of electricity supply in UK and US, research says, Industry body says energy consumption driven by AI up 15% globally in two years as it warns of societal backlash Datacentres are consuming 6% of electricity in the UK and US, with the growing strain of AI on energy supplies prompting community resistance, according to research. The proportion of electricity used by vast warehouses stacked with microchips to power AI and the internet has risen 15% worldwide in the past two years as annual global investment in datacentres approaches $1tn (£740bn) – nearly 1% of the global economy, according to the International Data Center Authority (IDCA). Continue reading…
Context
The development sits in VINI’s Technology file for readers following technology, science, product policy, markets, infrastructure, and the public consequences of innovation. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-05-13T10:48:13+00:00.
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Primary source: Datacentres using 6% of electricity supply in UK and US, research says via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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- Datacentres using 6% of electricity supply in UK and US, research saysThe Guardian - 2026-05-13T10:48:13+00:00
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