New SELECT president warns of AI electricity demand impact

The new President of SELECT, Scotland's largest construction industry trade association, has issued a stark warning about the increasing electricity demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI). Mike Stark, who recently took on the role, expressed concerns that the UK's National Grid could face significant pressure owing to the growing energy requirements of AI systems.

Speaking about the situation, Stark highlighted the immense energy consumption of AI technologies, likening their usage to that of small countries. "AI is becoming more embedded in our everyday lives, from digital assistants and chatbots helping us on websites to navigation apps and autocorrect on our mobile phones. And it is going to become even more prevalent in the near future," he said.

Stark further noted that the cornerstone of AI infrastructure, data centres, are significant energy consumers. "Data centres, which have many servers as their main components, need electrical power to survive. It is therefore only natural that any talk about building a data centre should begin with figuring out the electrical needs and how to satisfy those power requirements," Stark explained.

Current renewable energy systems have been able both to support increases in demand and to bolster the National Grid. However, Stark warned, "As technology advances and systems such as AI are introduced, there will be a time when the grid will struggle to support the demand."

Stark, who has over four decades of experience in the electrical industry, underscored the projected impact of AI on electrical infrastructure. He noted estimates suggesting that by 2027, there could be up to 1.5 million AI servers operating in the UK, consuming between 85 and 134 terawatt hours annually—comparable to the energy usage of countries like the Netherlands and Sweden.

Reflecting on the industry's long-standing concerns regarding electricity supply, Stark remarked, "I remember attending an EV training session about 25 years ago and the standing joke was, ‘Where’s all this electricity going to come from?’ We all felt the network needed upgrading then, and now there is extra pressure from the new AI data centres springing up."

Stark was confirmed as SELECT President at the association's recent AGM, taking over from Alistair Grant. During his two-year term, he aims to engage with SELECT members to address issues within the electrical industry and to continue advocating for the professional recognition of electricians. "Doormen who manage the front of house in clubs have to be regulated by the Security Industry Authority before they can work, but anyone can call themselves an electrician without any training or a full electrical apprenticeship," Stark pointed out.

He reiterated the importance of regulation and called for more trained electrical apprentices to meet the future demands of society. "We have to have people who are qualified, skilled and knowledgeable to be able to introduce and oversee this new technology, which is why we need more properly trained and suitably qualified electrical apprentices, acting as the vanguard of our industry," Stark said.