According to the latest TrendForce research, global data center power demand is projected to reach 161 GW by 2026, marking a 31% year-on-year increase. AI servers are expected to drive this growth, accounting for 33.4% of the total power capacity requirements.
The data shows that global power capacity for data centers reached 122.9 GW in 2025. TrendForce anticipates that growth will remain above 30% through 2027, provided that cloud service providers continue to increase capital expenditures and server shipments remain stable.
A significant gap between power supply and demand is expected to emerge starting in 2026. By 2030, the projected global demand is 490.7 GW, while the grid capacity available for data centers is estimated at 222.6 GW, resulting in a shortfall of 268 GW.
TrendForce notes that the calculated deficit may be partially mitigated by behind-the-meter power generation built by companies, which is not included in grid capacity figures. However, delays in grid connection and infrastructure construction remain a primary cause of actual power shortages.
