Meeting The AI Era Power Demand Through Collaboration

Forbes

4 days ago

Javier Cavada, President and CEO of EMEA at Mitsubishi Power.
Every time we ask ChatGPT a question, stream our favorite series or look up directions on our phone, we're tapping into a surge of electricity that's quietly reshaping our world. Behind the screens and servers, we are witnessing the expansion of data centers at an incredible rate—and with them, our skyrocketing appetite for power.
Recent reports, including one from the International Energy Agency (IEA), project that energy demand from AI-driven data centers is set to quadruple globally by 2030. This is echoed in the U.S. and regions across the world. In the UK, data center electricity consumption is forecast to rise from 2.5% of total usage today to nearly 6% by 2030. Across Europe, the rise is expected to more than triple. These are signs of a shift already underway. The digital economy is growing exponentially, and it needs reliable power that can keep up.
What's compounding the situation is that this surge in demand is happening just as the global community is doubling down on climate goals. So, the real question becomes: How will we keep pace with the power needs of the future without compromising our progress toward Net Zero?
Where We've Been And Where We're Heading
As we transition to energy systems that are majority renewable-powered, the grid requires more support and storage to balance supply and demand from wind and solar, which are intermittent. Gas provides what we call dispatchable power—power that can be dialed up and down almost instantaneously to support intermittent forms of power. But, as my work with power operators has shown me, electricity is growing as a share of the overall power mix as the electrification of power, heat and transport increases.
Electricity, once just another utility, is now central to everything. It's becoming the foundation of all infrastructure—not just digital but also transportation, manufacturing, and the heating and cooling of homes and cities. And as that happens, electricity is becoming a much bigger share of global emissions. That's why it's important that how we generate power evolves as fast as how we consume it.
The recent power outage in Spain and Portugal demonstrated that we live in an increasingly interconnected world. Simply put, we depend on many individuals to meet our power needs—and increasingly, people want those needs met with clean power. While technology developers have a central role, I believe it is only through partnerships that we can scale these technologies to enable widespread decarbonization.
Delivering Climate-Responsible Power
We don't necessarily have to choose between digital innovation and climate responsibility; if we get it right, we can achieve both. Of course, there are challenges to this. The growth of data centers, especially those driving AI, brings unique demands. These facilities can't afford a second of downtime. Cooling systems must run continuously, computing loads are relentless, and every backup needs a backup. That kind of unbreakable reliability comes only from a well-balanced energy system.
One impactful change we can make today is modernizing fossil-fuel-based infrastructure. Around 16% of Europe's electricity still comes from coal-fired power plants—and in some countries, it's higher. Replacing coal with modern, high-efficiency gas turbines could cut emissions by more than 60%. This demonstrates the importance of moving toward power sources that are low-to-zero-carbon.
However, if we want to scale the options available to us, I believe we need to set in motion a wider value chain that unlocks investment and de-risks growth. A major part of development is creating a supportive policy environment. As leaders, we all have a role to play to ensure innovation and technology are enabled to succeed—starting with our business operations.
We don't need to wait for new inventions; we just need to implement what's already proven. In my experience, that typically happens through collaboration with partners like investors, policymakers, utilities, developers, off-takers and end-users. Business leaders fall into one or more of these groups—and they have the influence to act. Part of acting is taking responsibility within our own companies for questions like, "How is our power demand being met? By whom? And how clean is it?"
The scale of this transition can feel overwhelming, but it's a historic opportunity. The rise of data centers and the energy they require is the perfect reason for us to double down on building the clean energy systems we need anyway.
Placing Power Demand In Concert With Climate Needs
Across Europe, power security is a major part of the conversation, and I've observed growing recognition that clean solutions must be part of the equation. But we need more clarity, consistency and urgency. Every data center built without a clean, resilient power plan is a missed opportunity.
AI can help—not just in generating demand but in managing the grid efficiently, forecasting usage and optimizing dispatch. The more digital our infrastructure becomes, the more "intelligent" our energy systems must be. The demands of AI and the climate do not have to be in conflict; innovation in digital technologies can be matched by innovation in energy. More than just engineering better turbines or blending fuels, this is about powering a new era where reliability and sustainability go hand-in-hand.
The electricity that powers our lives today should also protect our future. That's the challenge. But with the right choices, it can also be the solution.
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