Government and Industry Exchange on Data Centres and Energy Efficiency

Event Information

The IEA’s Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) Initiative and the Energy Efficiency Hub are bringing together speakers from the public and private sectors to discuss approaches to improving energy efficiency and curbing emission from data centres.

Demand for digital services is growing rapidly. Since 2010, the number of internet users worldwide has more than doubled, while global internet traffic has expanded 20-fold. The data centres and data transmission networks that underpin digitalisation have led to rising energy use. Rapid improvements in energy efficiency have helped limit energy demand growth from data centres and data transmission networks, which each account for about 1-1.5% of global electricity use. Nevertheless, strong government and industry efforts on energy efficiency, renewables procurement and RD&D will be essential to curb energy demand and emissions growth over the next decade. Moreover, to get on track with the Net Zero Scenario, emissions must drop by half by 2030.

The joint IEA and Energy Efficiency Hub workshop will bring together governments and the private sector to exchange on improving energy efficiency and curbing emission from data centres. Participants will consider policy actions and industry best practices for tackling energy consumption of data centres. The discussion is intended to reveal commons views on challenges, opportunities and the roles of industry and government.

This event has been organised in conjunction with the IEA Digital Demand Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) initiative supported by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security.