Data centers powering artificial intelligence and cloud computing are pushing energy demands and production to new limits. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, global electricity consumption may grow by 75% by 2050, with the technology industry’s artificial intelligence ambitions driving this growth.
The data centers that power artificial intelligence and cloud computing will soon become so large that they use more electricity than entire cities.
As leaders in the AI race push for further technological advancement and deployment, many are finding their energy needs increasingly at odds with their sustainability goals.
“A new data center that requires the same amount of power as somewhere like Chicago can’t solve the problem if it doesn’t understand its own power needs,” said Mark Nelson, managing director of Radiant Energy Group. “Those power needs. Stable, straight-through, 100% power. , 24 hours a day, 365 hours a day,” he added.
After years of focusing on renewable energy, big tech companies are now turning to nuclear power because of its ability to provide large amounts of energy in a more efficient and sustainable way.
Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta are among the best-known brands exploring or investing in nuclear power projects. Their announcement marks the beginning of an industry-wide trend, driven by the energy needs of data centers and artificial intelligence models.
“We see a lot of benefits from nuclear power,” said Michael Terrell, senior director of energy and climate at Google. “It’s a carbon-free source of electricity. It’s a source of electricity that can be on all the time and run all the time. It provides Huge economic impact.”
Nuclear power has been largely dismissed in the past due to widespread concerns about nuclear leakage and safety risks, as well as misinformation that fueled those concerns. transformation and around the world.
watch video Learn why big tech companies are investing in nuclear power, the opposition they face, and when their nuclear ambitions might actually become a reality.
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