AI’s Energy Appetite: What Data Centers Mean for the Future of Electricity Prices

Discover how AI-driven data centers are reshaping electricity demand, prices, and why smarter HVAC and efficiency are critical for sustainable growth.

Ava Montini

Jan 27, 2026

Written by

Published on

Powering intelligence, shaping energy

Artificial intelligence has gone from “what if” to “what now.” We use it to draft reports, analyze data, streamline workflows, and even generate design ideas. But while the results appear on our screens instantly, what powers them is anything but invisible.

Behind every AI tool is a data center; rows of servers drawing massive amounts of power and generating equally massive amounts of heat. And with AI adoption soaring, those facilities are putting real pressure on our electricity grids.

Bloomberg recently reported that in PJM, the largest U.S. grid, capacity prices jumped sharply as AI-driven data center demand climbed (Bloomberg). For operators, this is a direct hit to energy budgets.

So while AI is exciting, it comes with a new operational reality: efficiency in cooling, airflow, and HVAC isn’t optional. It’s the difference between runaway costs and sustainable growth.

Why AI is different from past computing booms

Previous waves of digital growth (like cloud adoption) drove steady data center expansion. But AI is different. Training large models consumes enormous amounts of energy. The International Energy Agency estimates that data center electricity use could nearly double by 2030 to around 1,000 TWh, roughly equal to Japan’s entire annual consumption (IEA).

And it’s not just training. Inference: the everyday process of users asking questions or running AI tasks is multiplying demand across millions of devices. Goldman Sachs forecasts a 165% increase in data center power demand by 2030, largely due to AI (Goldman Sachs).

Cooling: a hidden energy driver

When people think about data centers, they picture racks of servers. But behind that computing load is another energy giant: cooling.

HVAC, chillers, pumps, and fans often make up 30–40% of total energy use in data centers (U.S. DOE). That means the “support systems” keeping servers at safe temperatures can rival the IT equipment itself in energy demand.

And because these systems run 24/7, even small inefficiencies snowball:

A high-resistance filter forces fans to draw extra kilowatts all day, every day.
A dirty coil reduces heat transfer, stretching compressor runtimes.
A miscalibrated damper throws airflow off balance, raising both costs and emissions.

Clogged filters can cut supply airflow by over 35%, driving higher fan power and cooling loads (MDPI). Others highlight how loaded filters in constant-speed systems directly increase electricity use (University of Texas at Austin).

Now scale that across a hyperscale AI-driven facility. A 3% efficiency penalty may look small on paper, but in practice, it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars annually and add unnecessary CO₂e to your footprint.

That’s why low-pressure, high-efficiency filtration matters. It cuts resistance without sacrificing capture, reducing fan energy hour after hour. For operators under pressure from rising power prices and sustainability goals, it’s one of the simplest ways to shrink cooling costs while protecting uptime.

Why efficiency pays off more now

Energy savings have always lowered costs. But as grids get stressed and data center demand rises, the value of each saved kilowatt is climbing. Bloomberg recently reported that capacity prices on PJM, the largest U.S. grid, have spiked because of new data center growth (Bloomberg).

In practical terms, this changes the math:

A coil cleaning that once took years to pay for itself can now pay back in just a few months.
Smarter controls and calibrated ventilation keep you protected when prices swing.
Low-pressure filtration quietly reduces fan energy every hour, stacking up bigger savings as electricity prices rise.

The bottom line is that efficiency has become one of the fastest and most reliable ways to control operating costs in an unpredictable energy market.

Building smarter, not just bigger

For operators, the roadmap isn’t a mystery. The tools are already here:

Low-pressure filtration to keep fans efficient hour after hour.
Adaptive cooling strategies like variable-speed fans, economizers, and containment to right-size energy use.
Monitoring-based commissioning and diagnostics to stop efficiency losses before they become routine.
Load shifting and grid-aware operations to tap cleaner, cheaper hours of power (IEA).

Every watt counts

As AI expands, data centers will continue to carry a heavier share of global electricity demand. That makes efficiency less of an option and more of an operating requirement.

The lesson is simple: efficiency and reliability are not competing goals. When facilities prioritize both, they not only manage rising energy costs but also reduce their carbon footprint in measurable, reportable ways. AI may be shaping the demand curve, but how operators respond will shape the industry's long-term sustainability.

Ontario School Board Purchase Blade Air Technology

Jennifer Crowley
Jul 27, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Jul 9, 2024

Blade Air's Induct-300W UVGI supplemental Air Sanitization system

Peel District School Board (PDSB) purchases Air Sniper units, through Blade Air, to help protect faculty and students from COVID-19 and other airborne contaminants.

CALGARY, AB, June 1, 2021 /CNW/ – A Canadian manufacturer of air purification systems, Air Sniper, has partnered with Blade Air, Blade Filters’ air purification division, to engage the Peel District School Board (PDSB) in Southern Ontario to help protect faculty and students from COVID-19 and other airborne contaminants. UVC is one of the few technologies approved and recommended by ASHRAE to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The PDSB’s investment in Air Sniper is an exciting opportunity for both Air Sniper and Blade Air, two proud Canadian companies, in their ongoing commitment to providing innovative solutions against COVID-19.

ABOUT BLADE AIR

Blade Air is a proudly Canadian company located in Toronto, Ontario, focused on providing Canadian-made industrial air quality solutions. After revolutionizing the cannabis air filtration industry with their replaceable carbon cartridge filter, Blade Filters created their new operating division, Blade Air. This division was developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and specializes in providing air quality solutions for industrial facilities.

With a desire to make a difference by helping businesses improve air quality, the team utilized their resources and technology to develop the Blade Air HEPA-Carbon Air Purifier. Now, with the Ontario School Board Purchase of Blade Air Technology, thousands of UVC units have been deployed in classrooms and companies. Blade Filters is a trusted partner of Ontario Together and the Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace (OECM). Through their partnership with Air Sniper, Blade Filters is now a licensed distributor of all Air Sniper products. As an exponentially growing company, Blade Filters offers advanced air quality solutions to create the safest environment for all businesses, schools, and organizations.

“The Blade Filters team is extremely excited and proud to be partnered with another all-Canadian company, Air Sniper, to provide in-line air purification solutions,” says Aedan Fida, CEO of Blade Filters. “Air Sniper’s team has demonstrated a deep understanding of their product offering, has exemplified excellent customer service, and has perfected their industry-leading UV-C-based technologies. We’re looking forward to continuing the relationship and collaborating on future projects.”

ABOUT AIR SNIPER

Air Sniper, based in Calgary, AB, develops and manufactures one of the most advanced air sanitization solutions. Their units will be rolled out to the region’s 257 schools through the remainder of 2021. Air Sniper’s advanced air purification solution properly applies UV-C technology and is installed within existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The equipment also has BAS/BAC net compatibility for monitoring and control.

All Air Sniper solutions are independently tested by third-party labs and have been proven effective at removing airborne contaminants such as Escherichia virus MS2 (Covid-19), staphylococcus epidermidis, influenza A (H1N1), and Aspergillus Niger (Mold). The system leverages Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) light at a spectrum of 253.7 nanometers to produce its germicidal effect. The system’s technologies produce zero ozone and will provide the schools with the safest and most effective air sanitization measures. Air Sniper has provided complete air purification solutions for businesses across Canada since 2015 and continues to create flexible options that meet industrial-scale needs.

“Air Sniper is excited to work on the Peel project in partnership with Blade Air. They are an exceptional team to work with. We are proud to be providing solutions for the school district to protect faculty and students against COVID-19 and other airborne viruses.,” says Stuart Henley, President of Air Sniper. “For us to be able to provide safe and effective air purification solutions to the Peel school district is a great honour.”

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