Can IT help accelerate the transition to renewable energy?

Renewable energy is scaling fast – and information technology has a critical role to play in making it work more efficiently.

According to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable power accounted for 85.6% of all new energy capacity installed in 2025. Renewables now represent almost half (49.4%) of global energy capacity. In the UK, renewables generated over half of the country’s electricity in 2024 (50.4%), driven largely by offshore wind and solar.

► While half the electricity generated in the UK now comes from renewables, getting the power to the right place at the right time remains a challenge

► More energy-efficient IT devices and infrastructure can play a meaningful role in reducing overall demand

That proportion is only set to rise. The cost of solar panels and wind turbines are continuing to fall, accelerating deployment. However, distribution remains a major barrier. In the UK, wind and solar generators are frequently asked to curtail output to ease pressure on an ageing electricity grid. Clean energy is often produced in remote locations, far from the population centres where demand is highest.

Large-scale grid updates are planned, but these projects will take years to complete. In the meantime, digital solutions are helping to bridge the gap.

One option is the use of cloud-based virtual power plants (VPPs). These aggregate electricity from smaller, local sources – such as rooftop solar – and manage supply more intelligently. Another is the application of AI and advanced analytics to improve forecasting, better matching renewable supply with real-time demand and effectively load-balancing the grid.

There is also a simpler approach: shifting when energy is used. This summer, the UK government is expected to encourage households to charge electric vehicles (EVs) and run appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers when wind and solar generation is highest. For businesses, aligning major IT workload with periods of renewable availability may be more complex, but it remains an important opportunity.

All of this is happening against a backdrop of growing concern over energy security and global geopolitics, which is further accelerating the move towards renewables. While universal access to clean energy on demand remains the long-term goal, the short-term priority is efficiency.

IT is often viewed as part of the energy consumption problem. However, today’s laptops, PCs, servers and storage systems are significantly more energy-efficient than previous generations. Ongoing innovation from technology vendors is reducing power consumption while maintaining performance – delivering benefits for both businesses and the environment.

Ultimately, regardless of how energy is generated, using less of it is one of the most effective ways to cut cost, lower carbon emissions and support a more resilient energy system.

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