Artificial intelligence is changing the economy at a tremendous speed.
But behind every AI model, every cloud service and every digital platform is an infrastructure that we rarely see:
Data centers, servers, networking equipment, storage and cooling systems.
And all of this needs electricity.
In 2025, global electricity consumption by data centers increased by about 17%.
For centers focused on artificial intelligence applications, the increase was even stronger - about 50% in just one year. IEA
However, AI is only part of a larger process.
The electrification of transport, industry, heating and the digital economy is increasing electricity demand in many sectors.
In 2025, for example, global electricity demand from electric cars has grown by about 38%, and data centers are among other fast-growing users. IEA
What is a data center?
A data center is a specialized facility that houses a large number of computer systems.
These include:
servers,
storage systems,
networking equipment,
uninterruptible power systems,
backup generators
and cooling infrastructure.
These centers are behind much of the everyday digital world.
They process data for cloud services, banking systems, telecommunications, e-commerce, scientific computing and increasingly – applications of artificial intelligence.
In AI, the need for computing power can be particularly high.
The development of high-performance servers and specialized AI processors is increasing the electrical power density in modern data centers. IEA
How much electricity do data centers use?
According to the International Energy Agency, data centers consumed an estimated 415 TWh of electricity in 2024, or about 1.5% of global electricity consumption. IEA
In 2025, consumption has already reached approximately 485 TWh.
By 2030, the IEA's baseline scenario projects around 950 TWh.
This is an approximate doubling in just five years. IEA
The demand for AI-specialized centers is growing particularly rapidly.
The IEA expects them to be one of the most important drivers of this growth in the current decade. IEA
Why is electricity so important?
In a data center, it is not enough to simply have electricity.
It must be reliable and uninterrupted.
Server systems operate 24 hours a day.
Even a short outage can lead to service disruption, loss of computing capacity, or technical problems.
That is why data centers use:
batteries, uninterruptible power supplies, backup generators, and redundant electrical systems.
This makes having sufficient grid power capacity in one of the key factors when choosing a location for new data centers.
Not just quantity, but infrastructure
The big question is not only:
Is there enough electricity produced?
A:
Can it actually be delivered to where it is needed?
The IEA warns that data center development is increasingly facing constraints in electricity transmission infrastructure, transformers, grid connections and permitting procedures. IEA
This means that a region with high electricity production is not automatically suitable for technology investment.
A strong grid, substations, communication infrastructure and the possibility of future expansion are also needed.
The Bulgarian example: the Discoverer supercomputer
Bulgaria already has an example of a high-performance computing infrastructure.
The DISCOVERER supercomputer, located in Sofia Tech Park, is part of the European EuroHPC infrastructure and has a peak performance of about 5.94 petaflops. EuroHPC
The Chief Operating Officer of DISCOVERER is Kiril Kirilov. discoverer.bg
In an interview for the documentary project, he emphasizes the importance of a stable power supply for such a high-performance infrastructure.
In such systems, the reliability of electricity is a critical factor.
The development of battery technologies and their lower prices are gradually creating new opportunities for combining different energy sources with storage systems.
What is the role of renewable sources?
Renewable energy will play an increasingly important role in powering the digital economy.
According to the IEA, nearly half of the additional global electricity consumption from data centers by 2030 is expected to be covered by renewable sources.
Among them, wind, solar and hydropower play a major role. IEA
But there is an important difference.
Wind and solar power are variable sources.
So critical infrastructure like data centers need to be part of a broader system:
the power grid,
various generation sources,
batteries and other forms of storage,
balancing
and backup power.
The goal is not for one source to power a data center on its own.
The goal is for the entire system to be able to provide sufficient and reliable electricity.
The new challenge facing regions
This gradually changes the question of where the industries and technologies of the future will be built.
Regions that can provide:
stable electricity,
free network capacity,
modern communication infrastructure,
qualified specialists
and a good investment environment,
can become more attractive for new technological investments.
Energy is no longer just a resource for traditional production.
It is gradually becoming part of the infrastructure of the digital economy.
What does this mean for Bulgaria?
This question is also important for Bulgaria.
The country has an IT sector, technical specialists and is already participating in the European supercomputer infrastructure.
But if the AI revolution continues at its current pace, access to reliable electricity and network capacity will become an increasingly important factor for future investments.
This could also give new importance to regions that have not previously been seen as technology hubs.
Especially if the development of new manufacturing capacity is combined with:
modern electricity infrastructure, digital connectivity and a long-term regional strategy.
How much does the AI revolution cost?
The AI revolution has a price.
It is measured not only in billions of investments in chips, software and data centers.
It is also measured in electricity.
The more the digital world grows, the more physical infrastructure is needed to support it.
Therefore, one of the big questions of the next decade will not only be:
How fast will artificial intelligence develop?
And:
Where will the electricity it needs come from?
This article is part of a series for the upcoming documentary film
„WIND – MORE THAN ENERGY“
Director: Neddy John Cross