As datacenters demand ever more power, measuring only how efficiently electricity is used is no longer enough—we must also measure what that energy produces. The energy debate therefore needs new productivity metrics that show how much AI value we get per watt. Hanna Oredsson, Head of Secure Power Sales at Schneider Electric Sweden, argues that the focus must shift from energy consumption to token-based value creation.
Sweden benefits from abundant fossil-free electricity, a cold climate and stable conditions that make it an attractive location for datacenters. At the same time, competition for power is rising quickly as industry and transport electrify and digitalization accelerates. When electricity is expensive and in high demand, the key question becomes what we actually obtain from each kilowatt-hour.
Datacenters require stable power around the clock, which places special demands on the grid and amplifies their system impact compared with many other types of operations. A recent report from the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise highlights this as a central challenge: datacenters are both enablers of innovation and an increasing load on the power system. For Sweden to become a leading AI nation, we need better insight into datacenters’ actual energy use.
Swedish datacenters rank among the most energy-efficient in the world and are often evaluated using PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness), which measures how effectively a datacenter delivers energy to its IT equipment versus the total energy consumed. But PUE does not tell us what the datacenter actually produces.
When individual AI facilities can demand as much power as a small town, knowing that energy is used efficiently is not sufficient—we must understand the actual benefit created per kilowatt-hour.
This is where the concept of “tokens per watt” becomes relevant. AI models process data in small units called tokens; these are both technical building blocks and a foundation for how AI services are priced. Measuring how many tokens are processed per watt used gives us a concrete productivity metric. It links energy consumption to actual output and allows comparison between datacenters, different AI applications and fundamentally different ways of using power. Most importantly, it provides a productivity measure for discussing value.
The Swedish energy debate is already moving in this direction. Municipalities, authorities and businesses increasingly ask what we get back for megawatts. Yet the issue is not only about competition for electricity. Datacenters can also contribute positively to the energy system—for example, by supplying waste heat to district heating networks, acting as predictable and stable power consumers, and in some cases helping balance grid load. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise report emphasizes the need for a better understanding of how electricity is used and which investments generate the greatest value.
When AI usage can be linked to energy consumption, it becomes possible to evaluate economic and climate impacts more concretely. How much energy does an AI service cost? How much value is created per unit of emissions? Which applications actually deliver societal benefits? These questions are critical at a time when datacenters influence both the energy system and Sweden’s competitiveness.
As data and compute become strategic resources, control over digital infrastructure grows increasingly important. Where datacenters are located affects long-term innovation, security and digital sovereignty—central aspects of Sweden’s competitiveness and preparedness.
Tokens per watt does not replace traditional measures like PUE, but it complements them by showing what we actually receive in return for the energy used. In an era when sustainability and energy allocation are high on the agenda, this can become an important metric—not just for technology companies but also for policymakers, authorities and investors.
Datacenters are no longer just server halls. They are factories for digital value creation. Like any other factory, they must be measured by their productivity.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a global leader in energy technology that drives efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating and digitizing industries, businesses and homes. The company’s technologies enable buildings, datacenters, factories, infrastructure and power networks to function as open, interconnected ecosystems, strengthening performance, resilience and sustainability. Its portfolio includes intelligent devices, software-defined architectures, AI-driven systems, digital services and expert consulting. With around 160,000 employees and a network of one million partners across more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world’s most sustainable companies.