India's data centers could soon consume a 3rd of local electricity
India's data center scene is booming, and it's putting serious pressure on the country's power grid.
By 2030, these tech hubs could use up to a third of the local electricity in some regions—way up from today.
Industry demand for power is expected to rise sharply, with some locations already using about 15% of local grid capacity and projected to reach roughly 30-35% by 2030, raising big questions about how India will keep all that energy flowing.
Data centers are turning to renewable energy
To help ease the load, many data centers now get about a third of their energy from renewables.
Companies like Sify Technologies have hit 38% renewable use, while TechnoDigital is leading at 85%.
Still, as new centers pop up quickly each year, keeping things sustainable isn't getting any easier.
Data center expansion will require addressing fiber connectivity and talent
Most data centers are packed into cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru, where they're already competing with everyday urban energy needs.
Ankit Saraiya from TechnoDigital points out that expanding into more cities means moving data centers into Tier-1 and Tier-2 locations, while Abhishek Lahoti from ICRA says this will require addressing availability of fiber connectivity and technical talent.
This race for digital infrastructure is just getting started.