Arman Shehabi (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)- Powering the AI Revolution: Navigating the Surge in Data Center Energy
Abstract:
This talk presents key findings from the “2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report,” which reveals that U.S. data center energy use more than doubled between 2017 and 2023, primarily driven by the rapid adoption of GPU-accelerated servers for artificial intelligence. By 2023, data centers consumed 176 TWh, or 4.4% of total U.S. electricity. Looking ahead, we explore future scenarios where this demand could swell to between 325 and 580 TWh by 2028, potentially accounting for up to 12% of the nation’s electricity. We will dissect the hardware trends and operational practices behind this surge, from the power draw of multi-GPU servers to the infrastructure supporting them, and address the critical need for new strategies to manage this load.
Speakers
Arman Shehabi
Dr. Arman Shehabi is a Staff Scientist in the Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Division of the Energy Technologies Area at LBNL. He has over 15 years’ experience measuring and modeling the potential energy, economic, and air pollutant impacts associated with the large-scale adoption of clean energy policy and technologies for buildings and manufacturing, with extensive research focused on the information and communication technology (ICT).