Webinar: Digital Data Energy Demand: Constraints and Environmental Impact

In this session we will discuss whether the current and projected generation of renewable energy can meet the escalating global demand for electricity from digital data. We will also look at whether there is a real risk that the demand for digital data could, at some point in the future, exceed feasible electricity production capabilities. Our findings point out to the necessity of developing a data-centric sustainability approach across all supply chains, sectors, industries, and nations. Such measures are crucial to increase efficiency, cut energy usage, and transition towards a decarbonized digital ecosystem, thereby supporting the global pursuit of a sustainable, net-zero future. Our research highlights a critical junction in energy policy and digital infrastructure planning, urging immediate action to reconcile digital advancement with ecological sustainability.

Speaker bio:

Vitor Castro (BSc, MSc, PhD) is a Reader in Economics at Loughborough Business School with expertise in Applied Econometrics. His research focuses on duration analysis of economic events for which he developed novel techniques. These have been implemented to the study of business cycles and financial crises. He is also developing research on the economic sustainability of digital data energy demand. He has a distinctive record of publications in leading academic journals in Economics and Finance and he is currently Associate Editor for the journal Economic Modelling.