08/01/2025
MIT Technology Review just published the most comprehensive analysis of AI's energy consumption ever conducted. The findings should terrify every business leader.
Data centers consumed 200 terawatt-hours in 2024 - enough electricity to power Thailand for an entire year. AI-specific operations used up to 76 terawatt-hours of that.
But here's the scary part: By 2028, AI alone could consume 165-326 terawatt-hours annually. That's enough to power 22% of all US households.
Data centers currently use 4.4% of US electricity. In four years, that could hit 12%.
The carbon intensity of data center electricity is already 48% higher than the US average because they need constant power 24/7 and can't rely on intermittent renewables like solar and wind.
Here's what MIT found that most people are missing: The reliability problem.
Data centers need backup power systems that work when the grid fails. Right now, most use lithium battery systems - the same technology that keeps getting recalled for fire risks.
When you're powering infrastructure worth billions, fire hazards aren't acceptable.
At Next Thing Technologies, we've been building the solution that addresses both the energy and safety challenges.
Our sodium-ion batteries are designed for exactly this application:
Handle massive power loads without overheating
Completely non-flammable across all operating temperatures
Use materials 1400x more abundant than lithium
We've created America's first home-ready sodium-ion battery pack. Zero thermal runaway incidents in testing.
As AI's energy demands explode, the companies that survive will be those with reliable, safe backup power systems.
The $435 billion energy storage market is about to get a reality check. We're building the technology that works when everything else fails.
Want to learn how we're solving AI's power reliability crisis? Check out https://www.nextthing.tech/ for details on our breakthrough technology.
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/20/1116327/ai-energy-usage-climate-footprint-big-tech/ copy copy