Electricity consumption by data centres increased by 32% between 2020 and 2021. The increase between January to March 2015 and October to December 2021 was 265%.
The percentage of metered electricity consumed by data centres rose from 5% in 2015 to 14% in 2021. This was an increase of 2,757 Gigawatt hours between 2015 and 2021.
Total metered electricity consumption increased by 16% or 3,906 Gigawatt hours between 2015 and 2021.
Quarterly metered electricity consumption by data centres increased steadily from 290 Gigawatt hours in the first quarter of 2015 to 1,058 Gigawatt hours in the fourth quarter of 2021 (see Table 2 and Figure 2).
CSO Definition of a Data Centre
The CSO used various approaches to identify data centres: searching for names and aliases of known data centres; examining customers with high consumption located in specific business parks; and checking the customer names of all meters with a high annual consumption. Reports produced by other organisations, the CSO Business Register, and internet searches were also used.
| Table 1 Metered Electricity Consumption 2015-2021 | ||||
| Gigawatt hours | % of Total | |||
| Year | Data Centre | Other Metered Customers | Total | % Data Centre |
| 2015 | 1,236 | 23,364 | 24,600 | 5 |
| 2016 | 1,477 | 23,879 | 25,356 | 6 |
| 2017 | 1,755 | 23,970 | 25,725 | 7 |
| 2018 | 2,172 | 24,558 | 26,730 | 8 |
| 2019 | 2,478 | 24,027 | 26,505 | 9 |
| 2020 | 3,019 | 24,037 | 27,056 | 11 |
| 2021 | 3,993 | 24,513 | 28,506 | 14 |
| % Consumption by Data Centres | |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| Table 2 Data Centres Metered Electricity Consumption by Quarter 2015-2021 | |||||
| Gigawatt hours | |||||
| Year | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Total |
| 2015 | 290 | 302 | 315 | 328 | 1,236 |
| 2016 | 339 | 359 | 384 | 394 | 1,477 |
| 2017 | 405 | 432 | 448 | 470 | 1,755 |
| 2018 | 488 | 524 | 571 | 589 | 2,172 |
| 2019 | 576 | 598 | 635 | 669 | 2,478 |
| 2020 | 688 | 719 | 763 | 849 | 3,019 |
| 2021 | 919 | 984 | 1032 | 1058 | 3,993 |
| X-axis label | Data Centres Consumption |
|---|---|
| Q1 2015 | 290 |
| Q2 2015 | 302 |
| Q3 2015 | 315 |
| Q4 2015 | 328 |
| Q1 2016 | 339 |
| Q2 2016 | 359 |
| Q3 2016 | 384 |
| Q4 2016 | 394 |
| Q1 2017 | 405 |
| Q2 2017 | 432 |
| Q3 2017 | 448 |
| Q4 2017 | 470 |
| Q1 2018 | 488 |
| Q2 2018 | 524 |
| Q3 2018 | 571 |
| Q4 2018 | 589 |
| Q1 2019 | 576 |
| Q2 2019 | 598 |
| Q3 2019 | 635 |
| Q4 2019 | 669 |
| Q1 2020 | 688 |
| Q2 2020 | 719 |
| Q3 2020 | 763 |
| Q4 2020 | 849 |
| Q1 2021 | 919 |
| Q2 2021 | 984 |
| Q3 2021 | 1032 |
| Q4 2021 | 1058 |
Statistician's Comment
Commenting on the release Niamh Shanahan, Statistician in the Environment and Climate Division, said: "The report shows the total metered electricity consumption by data centres by quarter for the period 2015 to 2021. Data centre consumption increased from 290 Gigawatt hours in January to March 2015 to 1,058 GWh in October to December 2021. Figure 2 shows a steady increase from quarter to quarter. The increase in consumption was driven by a combination of existing data centres using more electricity and new data centres being added to the grid.
The CSO published an additional release today showing total metered electricity consumption. The percentage of total metered electricity consumption accounted for by data centres increased from 5% in 2015 to 14% in 2021.
Large energy users with very high consumption accounted for 23% of total metered consumption in 2021. The total metered electricity consumption in 2021 was 28,506 GWh which was a 5% increase on 2020."