The Hidden Cost of AI Data Centres
AI runs on physical buildings, and those buildings need enormous amounts of electricity, water and land. Data centres used around 485 TWh of electricity in 2025, and the IEA projects that to roughly double to 950 TWh by 2030, more than all of Japan uses today. Their water footprint could reach 9.3 trillion litres a year by 2030. Allianz Trade estimates they emitted 286 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2025. Yet most of this goes unreported. In Texas, 83% of data centres did not report their water use to the state last year.