JAKARTA – Global investment for the development of data centres is projected to reach USD 580 billion, or around IDR 9.69 quadrillion, by the end of 2025, according to the latest report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The IEA states that this surge in investment is driven by the rapid advancement of AI technology, which has also increased demand for both fossil-based and renewable energy.

Citing TechCrunch on Monday (17/11), the investment figure even exceeds global oil exploration spending, which stands at USD 40 billion, or around IDR 668 trillion.

Meanwhile, major technology companies are entering a phase of data centre construction on an unprecedented scale.

• OpenAI has committed USD 1.4 trillion (around IDR 23.38 quadrillion) to build new data centre infrastructure.
• Meta is preparing USD 600 billion (around IDR 10.02 quadrillion).
• Anthropic is planning an investment of USD 50 billion (around IDR 835 trillion).

However, this massive growth is inseparable from major challenges related to energy availability.

Quoting FindArticle on Monday (17/11), electricity demand for AI data centres has surged rapidly, while renewable energy capacity in many countries remains behind.

Companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta claim to have balanced almost all of their annual electricity consumption by purchasing renewable energy through long-term contracts or green energy certificates.

However, this does not mean their data centres operate with emission-free electricity at all times. Company data shows real-time clean energy supply currently reaches only 30–70% of total consumption, depending on region and season.

Outside hyperscale data centre operators, the situation is more varied. Many co-location data centres and other companies do not yet have long-term renewable energy strategies, especially in new regions emerging as AI growth hubs.

With the global energy mix still relying on roughly one-third low-carbon sources, the share of renewable energy actually used by AI data centres is estimated to be far smaller than the official claims of technology companies.

Meanwhile, corporate demand for clean energy continues to hit record highs. Power purchase agreements are increasingly shifting toward 24/7 carbon-free models that combine wind, solar, energy storage, geothermal, and grid services.

Yet energy infrastructure remains a key stumbling block. Lengthy interconnection queues and limited transmission networks mean that connecting new energy projects can take years.

Data centre operators often choose locations with large electricity supply that still relies on fossil energy, unless they invest in clean power sources on-site from the start.

IEA projections show that hyperscale data centres in mature markets may be able to maintain near-100% annual energy matching by 2030. In regions with strong wind, solar, or hydro potential, real-time clean energy supply could rise to 50–80%.

Globally, including co-location operators and new AI players, annual matching levels are estimated to be in the range of 50–70%. Without accelerated development of transmission and energy storage, real-time performance could be far lower.

Efforts to secure clean energy sources continue to develop. On-site solar power installed at data centre campuses can only cover a fraction of demand, so operators rely on large-scale wind and solar projects with long-duration storage. (DK/KR/ZH)