Trend Electrification of Korean building energy driven by data centres and heat pumps

Summary

Energy use in Korean buildings, covering households, commercial and public facilities, is shifting rapidly toward electricity. The entry into the AI era is multiplying data centres, which the institute sees as a force accelerating growth in building energy demand. Data centres, heat pumps and wider use of household appliances make electricity the fastest-growing fuel in the building sector. Gas use in buildings, by contrast, is expected to decline over the period as heat pumps spread. Government policy to promote heat pumps reinforces the shift, and the report examines its effect on city gas separately.