Schneider Electric’s new research forecasts AI’s impact on energy consumption
December 05 2024 - 5:04AM
UK Regulatory
Schneider Electric’s new research forecasts AI’s impact on energy
consumption
The first report explores scenarios of AI’s electricity
consumption over the next decade, while the second report
demonstrates how AI-powered HVAC systems can improve energy
efficiencyThe research was published during IEA’s global
conference, where the company is in attendance
Rueil-Malmaison, France, Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of
energy management and automation, today released two reports from
its Sustainability Research Institute (SRI). These reports fill key
knowledge gaps regarding AI’s impact on sustainability,
particularly in energy use.
The first research, Artificial Intelligence and
Electricity: A System Dynamics Approach, examines
four possible scenarios for AI's electricity consumption over the
next decade. Considering the growing concern around AI’s energy
consumption, Rémi Paccou, Director of Schneider Electric’s
Sustainability Research Institute, and Prof. Fons Wijnhoven,
Associate Professor at the University of Twente (Netherlands), have
built a system dynamics model that forecasts diverse scenarios for
AI electricity demand, highlighting the path forward for
sustainable AI development strategies and policies to mitigate
environmental impacts.
The authors construct four scenarios of AI development and their
associated impacts on electricity consumption. These scenarios,
which are not predictions but rather tools to understand the
complex factors shaping our future, span a range of possibilities:
from Sustainable AI development to Limits to Growth, including more
radical scenarios such as Abundance Without Boundaries and even the
possibility of Energy Crises caused by AI. Alongside these
forecasts and analysis, the report also contains recommendations
for policymakers and decision-makers, contributing to a thoughtful
and responsible approach to development, aiming for a path that
balances progress with sustainability.
The second report, AI-Powered HVAC in Educational
Buildings: A Net Digital Impact Use Case, also by
Rémi Paccou and Gauthier Roussilhe, Research Fellow and Doctoral
Student at RMIT, demonstrates how AI-powered heating, ventilation,
and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can enhance energy efficiency
and environmental conservation in buildings. HVAC systems account
for 35 – 65% of total building energy consumption. The study
examined over 87 educational properties in Stockholm, Sweden, over
an extended period under real-world conditions. Between 2019 and
2023, the study observed a total carbon emission reduction of
65tCO2e/y, roughly 60 times the actual embodied carbon footprint of
the AI system deployed.
The research reveals opportunities for even greater carbon
reductions in environments with more demanding heating, cooling, or
air conditioning requirements. A comparative analysis between
Stockholm and Boston showed that implementing the same solution in
Boston could yield carbon emission savings seven times higher than
in Stockholm.
The publishing of these reports coincides with the IEA's
Global Conference on Energy & AI, where Schneider
Electric is in attendance. This conference gathers experts from the
energy and tech sectors, government, civil society, and academia to
discuss the potential impacts of AI on global energy systems and
the opportunities for leveraging AI for energy and climate goals.
Schneider Electric’s CEO, Olivier Blum, and Executive Vice
President of its Data Centers & Networks Business, Pankaj
Sharma, will participate in a high-level roundtable later
today.
“The release of our reports comes at a crucial time, as the IEA
conference highlights the transformative power of AI in the energy
sector. As a company and as researchers, we are committed to keep
shaping the future of energy and climate solutions”, stated
Vincent Petit, Climate and Energy Transition Research SVP
at Schneider Electric.
Schneider Electric Media Relations –
global.pr@se.com
- Schneider Electric’s new research forecasts AI’s impact on
energy consumption.pdf
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