AI Query Energy Calculator
Estimate the electricity consumption associated with your AI usage across text prompts, image generations and video generations.
Important: These tools provide educational estimates only. Actual AI electricity use varies by model, data centre, cooling system, hardware, location and workload. Do not use these results as official energy, planning, investment or engineering advice.
Your AI usage
Plain English explanation
Based on your inputs, this AI usage could consume approximately 124.1 kWh per year. That is roughly similar to 103.4 dishwasher cycles or 49.6 tumble dryer cycles. This is an estimate only because AI energy use depends heavily on model size, server hardware and data centre efficiency.
This calculator uses broad public estimates and simplified assumptions. It is designed to show scale, not provide precise AI workload metering.
How This Calculator Works
We apply a per-action energy assumption based on your selected usage level, multiply by your daily activity and number of users, then scale to daily, monthly and annual totals. Cost is calculated by multiplying total kWh by your electricity price.
Per-action assumptions (kWh): text prompt — light 0.0003, medium 0.001, heavy 0.003; image generation — light 0.005, medium 0.02, heavy 0.05; video generation — light 0.05, medium 0.2, heavy 0.5.
What The Result Means
The headline annual figure shows the approximate electricity behind your AI activity. The appliance comparison translates that into familiar household terms so the scale is easier to grasp. Cost figures use the electricity price you entered.
Limitations
Real AI energy use varies enormously by model, data centre, cooling system, hardware, location and workload. These figures use simplified public estimates and should be treated as directional, not precise metering.
Related Articles & Reference Material
Deep-dives from our own blog and UK AI energy news, plus verified UK sources and PowerGuardian for live energy price context.
- Blog:How Are Supermarkets Using AI to Save Electricity?
- News:Latest UK AI & energy news
- AI Energy Intelligence UK:How AI Could Cut UK Energy Bills
- PowerGuardian:Compare UK Energy Suppliers & Business Tariffs
Independent UK energy price comparison for households and businesses — useful when your AI workload starts to show up on the electricity bill.
- CyberEngland:UK Cyber Energy Security 2026–2035
- Official Source:DESNZ: Impact of Growth of Data Centres on Energy Consumption