Ireland's datacentres consumed 21% of electricity in 2023, surpassing urban homes' 18% share (theguardian.com)

• CSO: datacentres used 21% of Ireland's electricity in 2023, up 20% on 2022, surpassing urban homes' 18%
• National Energy and Climate Plan projects datacentre share could reach 31% by 2026
• Over 50% of Ireland's electricity came from fossil fuels in 2023; wind 34.6%, solar 1.2%

"Official CSO data shows Ireland's datacentres used 21% of the country's electricity in 2023, up 20% from 2022, exceeding the 18% consumed by all urban households. The surge is driven by AI and data processing, raising climate concerns as Ireland still relies on fossil fuels for over 50% of generation. The National Energy and Climate Plan projects datacentre share could reach 31% by 2026, putting pressure on renewable energy development."