There is no like-for-like figure showing how much electricity AI data centers use compared with cryptocurrency mining. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that all data centers worldwide—not only AI facilities—used about 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated that cryptocurrency mining probably accounted for 0.6% to 2.3% of U.S. electricity use. Those figures cover different activities and geographies, so they cannot be read as a direct contest. For grid impacts, where a large load connects, when it draws power, and whether it can reduce demand can matter as much as its annual energy total.
What do the published electricity estimates measure?
The figures below are useful for scale, but they are not directly comparable: one is a global estimate in TWh for all data centers, while the other is a preliminary U.S. estimate expressed as a share of national electricity consumption.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
| Estimate | What it covers | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| About 415 TWh, or around 1.5% of global electricity consumption, in 2024 | All data centers worldwide, according to the IEA’s 2025 analysis | Not an AI-only total; data centers also serve non-AI computing. IEA, Energy demand from AI |
| 0.6%–2.3% of U.S. electricity consumption | U.S. cryptocurrency-mining electricity use, in EIA’s preliminary 2024 estimate | A national estimate, not a global mining share or a continuously measured census. EIA, February 1, 2024 |
The sources do not establish a directly comparable global, same-year estimate that separates AI-only data centers from cryptocurrency mining. A claim that “AI uses X” cannot be supported by assigning all data-center electricity to AI, and the U.S. mining range should not be presented as a worldwide figure.
Why annual electricity use does not tell the whole grid story
Energy and power answer different questions
TWh measures energy used over a period, typically a year. Megawatts (MW) and gigawatts (GW) describe the rate of electricity demand or capacity at a point in time. Annual use helps show a load’s overall scale; peak demand helps utilities plan for the greatest draw and the infrastructure needed to serve it.
#1 Best Overall
- Various Monitoring Parameters: The power meter plug can monitor the power (W), energy (kWh), volts, amps, hertz, power factor, cost, minimum and maximum power (W), cumulative days and time of your appliances. By switching 7 display modes, you can easily know the various parameters while the appliance is working. The home energy monitor can also calculate and display how much power your appliance uses and how much electricity bill it cost in cumulative time
- Upgraded LCD Display: With large screen size 2.36 inch x 1.85 inch, clearer monitor backlit, our electrical usage monitor can display the data clearer and more visible no matter day or night. 180°full wide viewing angles is great for reading and recording the data in any angles. No need to stand on the front of the display and bend over to read the numbers
- Adjustable Backlight Time: Our upgraded watt meter has 5 options of backlight time. The default backlight time duration is 10 minutes(bL-0). If you want to change the backlight time, you can press and hold "UP" and "DOWN" button at the same time to enter backlight time setting, then press "UP" and "DOWN" to select the backlight time (bL-0 =10 minutes, bL-1=1 hour, bL-2=4 hours, bL-3=8 hours, bL-4=always on), finally press the "COST" to save the backlight time settings
- Overload protection: When the power of the appliance exceeds the overload power, the LCD will display “OVERLOAD” to warn the user. All the buttons will quit working and can only be workable when you lower or remove the load power. The default overload power is 3680W and is adjustable from 0 to 3680W. In general, you need to set the overload power to 1800W before using. Just press the "function" button for more than 3 seconds to enter the setting
- Data Memory Function: The wattage meter will record your power consumption data when you remove it from socket, or remove appliances from the electricity monitor. You can directly see the last data when you use it next time. This function can also automatically save the data when there is a sudden power failure
A facility can therefore be important to local planning even if its electricity use is a small share of a national or global total. The IEA notes that data-center demand is geographically concentrated, so impacts depend on where facilities connect and on the capacity of local generation and transmission. IEA, Executive summary — Energy and AI
Local conditions shape the effects
For a power system, relevant questions include whether a region has spare capacity, whether transmission can deliver power to the site, when the demand peaks, and what other loads are competing for electricity. EIA’s discussion of cryptocurrency mining identifies concerns about strain during peak demand, potentially higher electricity prices, and emissions effects. Those are potential effects to assess in context, not outcomes that follow automatically from every mining operation.
Rank #2
- Multi-function power monitor: Our electric usage monitor can monitor the power (W), electricity(kWh), voltage(V), frequency(Hz), current(A), power factor(PF), unit price($/kWh), total cost($) of your appliances. By switching 8 display modes, you can easily know the various parameters while the appliance is working. The “electricity” mode can calculate and display how much power your appliance uses. And the “total cost” mode will show how much electricity bill it cost in cumulative time
- Overload protection: When the loading power of the appliance is over the default overload threshold 1800W, the whole display with backlight and the word “OVERLOAD” will keep flashing to warn the users. Please turn off the appliance for safety concern
- Premium Material: The whole body of our energy meter is made of high-quality ABS material. It makes our home electricity usage monitor more long lasting, fireproof and anti-drop. The standard US socket and plug is suitable for all US standard appliances
- Backlight Display: With white backlight and black words, the LCD display of our home power monitor can display the data clearer and help you to read the data easier no matter day or night. The backlight will only lights up when the device is connected to AC power. If no button is pressed, the backlight turns off automatically after 10 minutes. You can also press the "UP" button to turn off the backlight manually, and press any button to turn on backlight again
- Easy to reset: No reset tool needed, our appliance power usage meter is easy to reset. You can press the “M” button for 5 seconds directly to reset the device. After reset, all cumulative data (electricity quantity, cost) will be cleared, and all settings will be restored to factory settings
Can mining or data centers reduce demand when the grid is tight?
Some flexibility can help a grid manage a large load, but it should not be assumed for every facility. EIA reported that cryptocurrency miners have participated in demand-response programs and that miners exposed to variable electricity prices may cut use when wholesale prices rise. That evidence does not show that all miners curtail, or that AI data centers have the same ability or willingness to do so. EIA’s mining overview
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhether a load is practically flexible depends on its operations, contractual arrangements, equipment, and how quickly and for how long it can reduce demand. The important grid-planning question is not simply whether a facility is called “flexible,” but what reduction it can reliably provide at the times and locations it is needed.
Rank #3
- SAFETY YOU CAN TRUST WITH UL CERTIFICATION: With Emporia Energy, your home energy monitoring is safe, reliable, and certified. The Emporia Vue is UL Listed, meaning it has met rigorous safety standards for electrical products in the U.S. and Canada. This certification ensures that every component has been thoroughly tested to prevent hazards, such as overheating, short-circuiting, or fire, offering you peace of mind as you manage your home’s energy consumption.
- INSTALLS IN CIRCUIT PANEL of most homes with clamp-on sensors. Supports Single phase, Single-split phase, and 2-wire systems. 3-wire systems; 3-phase, 4-wire Wye systems with earthed (TN or TT) neutral (no-Delta) are supported with an additional 200A sensor (sold separately).
- 24/7 ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING: Automate, manage and control your home's real power anywhere, anytime to prevent costly repairs, conserve energy, and save costs. Monitor solar / net metering. PROTECTED BY A 1-YEAR WARRANTY.
- LOWER YOUR ELECTRIC BILL: Configure settings in the Emporia Energy App to automate energy management for time of use, peak demand, excess solar, and rewards programs. You can even see live reporting and invaluable savings opportunities instantly. Gauge real-time spending and get actionable notifications and automated energy management to help you reduce costs.
- REAL-TIME ENERGY DATA: REQUIRES 2.4 GHz WIFI WITH AN INTERNET CONNECTION to monitor energy use with iPhone / Android / Web app. Vue sensors collect energy data and are accurate from ±2%. The Vue is UL and CE Listed for your safety. 1 second data is only available in the app (when actively open) and retained 3 hours. Minute and hour data are retained in the cloud. 1 minute data is retained 7 days, 1 hour data is retained indefinitely. Export cloud data whenever you want in the app.
What Texas illustrates about large computing loads
Texas shows why grid-region figures need their own labels. EIA reported that data centers and cryptocurrency mining were among the sources of power-demand growth in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region. ERCOT classifies a facility as a large flexible load when its expected peak demand capacity is at least 75 MW. EIA, October 3, 2024
EIA’s 2024 outlook expected ERCOT large-flexible-load customers to use 54 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025, nearly 60% more than its expected 2024 demand. This is a forecast for that broader customer category—not a measured result and not a total attributable solely to AI data centers or cryptocurrency mining. EIA, Data centers and cryptocurrency mining in Texas drive strong power demand growth
Rank #4
- Various Monitoring Parameters: The power meter plug can monitor the power (W), energy (kWh), volts, amps, hertz, power factor, cost, minimum and maximum power (W), cumulative days and time of your appliances. By switching 7 display modes, you can easily know the various parameters while the appliance is working. The home energy monitor can also calculate and display how much power your appliance uses and how much electricity bill it cost in cumulative time
- Upgraded LCD display: With large screen size 2.36 inch x 1.85 inch, clearer monitor backlit, our electrical usage monitor can display the data clearer and more visible no matter day or night. 180°full wide viewing angles is great for reading and recording the data in any angles. No need to stand on the front of the display and bend over to read the numbers
- Adjustable Backlight Time: Our upgraded watt meter has 5 options of backlight time. The default backlight time duration is 10 minutes(bL-0). If you want to change the backlight time, you can press and hold "UP" and "DOWN" button at the same time to enter backlight time setting, then press "UP" and "DOWN" to select the backlight time (bL-0 =10 minutes, bL-1=1 hour, bL-2=4 hours, bL-3=8 hours, bL-4=always on), finally press the "COST" to save the backlight time settings
- Overload protection: When the power of the appliance exceeds the overload power, the LCD will display “OVERLOAD” to warn the user. All the buttons will quit working and can only be workable when you lower or remove the load power. The default overload power is 3680W and is adjustable from 0 to 3680W. In general, you need to set the overload power to 1800W before using. Just press the "function" button for more than 3 seconds to enter the setting
- Data Memory Function: The wattage meter will record your power consumption data when you remove it from socket, or remove appliances from the electricity monitor. You can directly see the last data when you use it next time. This function can also automatically save the data when there is a sudden power failure
What the IEA projects for data-center electricity demand
The IEA’s 2025 base case projects global data-center electricity consumption at around 945 TWh in 2030. This is a scenario projection, not a measured outcome, and it covers data centers overall rather than AI facilities alone. IEA, Energy demand from AI
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A separate IEA supply analysis projects electricity generation serving data centers to rise from 460 TWh in 2024 to more than 1,000 TWh in 2030 and 1,300 TWh in 2035. These are generation figures from a different analysis, so they should not be substituted for the demand analysis’s 2030 consumption estimate. In the supply outlook, renewables meet nearly half of additional data-center demand over the next five years, followed by natural gas and coal; nuclear becomes increasingly important later in the decade and beyond. These are projections, dependent on factors including grid connections and generation construction, not guarantees about future supply or any particular facility’s electricity mix. IEA, Energy supply for AI
Best Value
- ✓ Backlit LCD Display: The watt meter features an upgraded backlit LCD display with a 160° wide viewing angle, providing clear and distinct data readings from any angle, day or night. (Note: To conserve energy, the backlight will automatically turn off after 15 seconds of continuous use.)
- ✓ 9 Types of Data Display: This energy meter plug accurately monitors a wide range of electrical parameters, including power (W), apparent power (VA), energy consumption (kWh), usage time (hours), power frequency (Hz), power factor (PF), voltage (V), current (A), and electricity cost. The user-friendly interface allows you to easily read and navigate through 9 types of data with a single button.
- ✓ Save Money and Energy: By toggling through the 9 display modes, you can gain insights into various operational parameters of your devices. The home energy monitor also calculates and displays the electricity consumption and cost over time, helping you save on your electricity bills by monitoring and managing energy usage.
- ✓ Data Storage: The plug-in electricity meter stores all non-real-time data, ensuring no information is lost in the event of a sudden power outage. If data exceeds the screen’s maximum display range, the screen will flash as a reminder. Pressing and holding the reset button for 3 seconds will reset the cumulative data to zero.
- ✓ Safe to Use: Rated voltage 125VAC, 60Hz, 15A maximum 1875W resistor and tungsten wire, 1/2HP. Clean and tidy interface, very simple to use.
How to assess claims comparing AI and crypto electricity use
Before accepting a headline comparison, check whether it matches on the factors that determine what the number means:
- Geography: Is the estimate global, national, limited to a grid region, or facility-specific?
- Population counted: Does it cover AI-focused facilities, all data centers, or cryptocurrency-mining operations?
- Measure: Is the figure annual energy in TWh or kWh, or peak and contracted power in MW or GW?
- Time and status: Is it an estimate of past use or a forecast? What year and scenario does it describe?
- Grid context: Where is the demand concentrated, and what are the local connection, transmission, peak-demand, price-response, and curtailment conditions?
The IEA and EIA figures answer different questions. The IEA’s 415 TWh estimate describes worldwide electricity use by all data centers in 2024; EIA’s 0.6%–2.3% range estimates the U.S. share used by cryptocurrency mining. Together they show that both kinds of computing demand warrant attention, but they do not establish which uses more electricity worldwide or which has the larger grid impact in every location.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
