AEMO’s biennial Integrated System Plan says data-centre electricity demand will
surge over the next 25 years, almost doubling consumption on Australia’s main
grid by 2050. Data centres could make up nearly 10% of National Electricity
Market (NEM) underlying demand by 2050, about four times today’s share. AEMO
identifies a renewables-led, network-connected system—backed by storage and
gas—as the lowest-cost pathway. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen
said the government intends to deploy domestic solar and wind to deliver
cheaper, cleaner power and shield the grid from global market volatility.
