Data centers are becoming an increasing emissions concern

• Report claims data centers and the aviation industry both account for 3% each of global carbon emissions
• By 2026, the world’s data centers will use as much electricity as Japan
• Germany is mandating highly efficient data centers from 2026

Increased artificial intelligence activity has led to skyrocketing demand for data centers, with new SPhotonix research claiming the facilities now account for the same amount of emissions as the global aviation industry.

Now accounting for 3% of global carbon emissions, the concern is AI and IoT will continue to drive data centers’ environmental impact up, and by 2030, they could consume as much as 13% of the world’s electricity.