They need to pay for their own energy. Why aren’t they putting solar panels on these sites? They must have ginormous roofs. This AI boom needs to be regulated NOW before even more damage is done.
Where I live in Maryland, they're trying to bull through massive power lines to take electricity to Data Alley in Virginia. It will go through people's farms and backyards, with no benefit to us whatsoever. But we'll end up paying for it.
The irony here is that the North American electrical grid has been starved of investment in transmission capacity since the 1980's due to a plateau in demand (thanks to efficiency gains in our appliances). Data Centers - and the unreasonable sums of money behind them - could be enabling long-needed transmission upgrades and expansions, as well as batteries, which could mitigate the additional generation needed. But the tech bros would rather run inefficient polluting generators than actually look for creative solutions. Energy journalist David Roberts has hosted some excellent discussions on his www.volts.wtf podcast/substack that have posited a variety of viable solutions. E.g. For what they're spending to skirt the rules and circumvent the process, hyperscalers could effectively subsidize a solar PV + battery system for everyone in the community and buy the surplus power from the locals.
These A-I outfits need to produce their own energy. Our communities do not have to provide for them and support them cart blanch. The amount of huge power used does not mix well proportionately to the few employees at the centers.
They need to pay for their own energy. Why aren’t they putting solar panels on these sites? They must have ginormous roofs. This AI boom needs to be regulated NOW before even more damage is done.
Where I live in Maryland, they're trying to bull through massive power lines to take electricity to Data Alley in Virginia. It will go through people's farms and backyards, with no benefit to us whatsoever. But we'll end up paying for it.
The irony here is that the North American electrical grid has been starved of investment in transmission capacity since the 1980's due to a plateau in demand (thanks to efficiency gains in our appliances). Data Centers - and the unreasonable sums of money behind them - could be enabling long-needed transmission upgrades and expansions, as well as batteries, which could mitigate the additional generation needed. But the tech bros would rather run inefficient polluting generators than actually look for creative solutions. Energy journalist David Roberts has hosted some excellent discussions on his www.volts.wtf podcast/substack that have posited a variety of viable solutions. E.g. For what they're spending to skirt the rules and circumvent the process, hyperscalers could effectively subsidize a solar PV + battery system for everyone in the community and buy the surplus power from the locals.
These A-I outfits need to produce their own energy. Our communities do not have to provide for them and support them cart blanch. The amount of huge power used does not mix well proportionately to the few employees at the centers.
The power and water demands spell failure.
Everyone just needs to supply their own power. </sarcasm>