Across the global energy sector, a quiet but significant shift is underway. The debate around energy usage is intensifying because the pressures on it are becoming more real: grid queues, water resource pressures, increased industrial electrification and the need for reliable power at every hour of the day to match changing demand patterns. Recent strategy resets among global energy majors BP, Shell and ExxonMobil illustrate a greater focus on delivering reliable supply and ensuring that infrastructure can meet fast-growing power demand.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects global electricity demand to grow at an average annual rate of 3.6% between 2026 and 2030. That represents an acceleration of around 50% from the average pace of growth over the past decade. Global data center electricity consumption is already spiking, driven in particular by the rapid expansion of AI-focused facilities. That trend shows no signs of slowing down.
