It examines the key trends shaping the future of data center energy, such as changing priorities, new challenges, evolving perceptions, and the growing impact of AI on energy storage strategies.

Key findings and trends from the 2025 report include the following:
The greater impact of AI: When asked about the effect of AI on energy and energy storage, 55% of respondents cited increased energy efficiency requirements, while 54% highlighted the growing need for higher power density and reduced environmental impact.
Drivers of change: Cost remains the primary driver of change in energy storage technology (58%), followed by safety concerns (46%), cooling requirements (42%), product availability (40%), and reliability issues (39%).
Sustainability: In 2025, sustainability will continue to gain importance, with 87% of respondents considering it a priority, up from 81% in 2024. Furthermore, nearly three-quarters (72%) report significant or moderate cost reductions thanks to their organization's sustainability efforts, an increase from 63% last year.
Backup Battery Run Times: By 2025, 37% of respondents expect UPS backup battery run times to decrease in the future, a notable increase from 26% in 2024. Meanwhile, 31% foresee no change, compared to 38% last year.
Impact of AI on Power Design: Nearly nine out of ten respondents (86%) anticipate a shift towards more customized power solutions to meet the demands of AI, while only 4% expect no change.
Modular energy solutions: Two-thirds (68%) of respondents use modular energy solutions and plan to continue doing so, with 22% deploying them across all locations, while 14% have no plans to adopt them.
“As data centers evolve to address increasing AI-driven workloads, sustainability goals, and growing energy demands, staying ahead of industry changes has never been more critical,” said Tim Hysell, CEO and co-founder of ZincFive. “This report captures the pulse of the industry, revealing not only the adoption of new technologies but also the growing demand for smarter, more resilient, and more sustainable energy storage solutions. The data underscores an ongoing shift—one that prioritizes efficiency, reliability, and innovation to drive the future of data centers.”
The Data Center Energy Storage Industry Outlook Report was created through a comprehensive data collection and analysis process conducted by Data Center Frontier and Endeavor Business Intelligence on behalf of ZincFive. The data was collected between January 23 and February 6, 2025, and 132 qualified professionals from the sector around the world participated in the survey.