Why does it matter?
The wide range shows how much AI adoption, efficiency, and energy bottlenecks could change the power buildout.
Direct quote
A Headwinds Case incorporates bottlenecks - including macroeconomic headwinds - in the uptake of AI and the buildout of energy infrastructure to power it. Our High Efficiency Case highlights the potential for even stronger gains in the efficiency of AI-related hardware and AI models. In this case, electricity demand from data centres is 20% lower in 2035 than in the Base Case. By 2035, the range of data centre electricity demand across our cases spans from 700 to 1 700 TWh.
IEA Energy and AI