▲ 34 ▼ Inside the massive private power grids fueling the U.S. data center boom (pv-magazine-usa.com) submitted 5 months ago by compostgoblin@piefed.blahaj.zone to c/energy@slrpnk.net 11 comments fedilink hide all child comments
[–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 5 points 5 months ago (3 children) I'm not sure this can legitimately be called green energy. permalink fedilink source hideshow 6 child comments replies: [–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 5 points 5 months ago (1 child) If the alternative is to power the datacentres with gas turbines, I would say that PV+BESS is pretty green. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 3 points 5 months ago (1 child) Sure, but using more sustainable options to provide power to increase consumption is the overarching point to me. Maybe this is less bad, but I don't view it as pretty green in comparison. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 1 point 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) Yeah, the only truly green option is to skip the datacenter entirely. Well that’s not the reality where we live. Found a buyer online, arranged shipping etc. Smooth sailing. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Dippy@beehaw.org 4 points 5 months ago (1 child) The additionallity of it does point towards yes. And, while I am no fan of data centers, they still benefit the renewable energy learning curve. For those unaware, for everytime we double the number of solar panels produced in the world, the cost falls roughly 20% per watt. If Jeff Bezos bought a billion panels and threw them away, it would still result in solar panels being cheaper down the line permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] cravl@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 months ago (2 children) Plus, if the demand for these AI datacenters were to suddenly decline, utilities could probably buy the excess energy. Or just buy fields outright. It's public benefit from private up-front investment. Not the worst path to get to the desired outcome. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 2 points 5 months ago This would be an excellent outcome. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Dippy@beehaw.org 1 point 5 months ago The 10 people who will still have cable TV in 10 years will be seeing commercials that say "do you own a home? Buy these data center solar panels! They're half a the price of a new panel, and only 7 years old. Installation is free!" permalink fedilink source parent [–] compostgoblin@piefed.blahaj.zone [S] 4 points 5 months ago Oh yeah, I didn’t post this to imply it’s a good thing, just relevant to the discussion of clean energy permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 5 points 5 months ago (1 child) If the alternative is to power the datacentres with gas turbines, I would say that PV+BESS is pretty green. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 3 points 5 months ago (1 child) Sure, but using more sustainable options to provide power to increase consumption is the overarching point to me. Maybe this is less bad, but I don't view it as pretty green in comparison. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 1 point 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) Yeah, the only truly green option is to skip the datacenter entirely. Well that’s not the reality where we live. Found a buyer online, arranged shipping etc. Smooth sailing. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 3 points 5 months ago (1 child) Sure, but using more sustainable options to provide power to increase consumption is the overarching point to me. Maybe this is less bad, but I don't view it as pretty green in comparison. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 1 point 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) Yeah, the only truly green option is to skip the datacenter entirely. Well that’s not the reality where we live. Found a buyer online, arranged shipping etc. Smooth sailing. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 1 point 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) Yeah, the only truly green option is to skip the datacenter entirely. Well that’s not the reality where we live. Found a buyer online, arranged shipping etc. Smooth sailing. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Dippy@beehaw.org 4 points 5 months ago (1 child) The additionallity of it does point towards yes. And, while I am no fan of data centers, they still benefit the renewable energy learning curve. For those unaware, for everytime we double the number of solar panels produced in the world, the cost falls roughly 20% per watt. If Jeff Bezos bought a billion panels and threw them away, it would still result in solar panels being cheaper down the line permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] cravl@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 months ago (2 children) Plus, if the demand for these AI datacenters were to suddenly decline, utilities could probably buy the excess energy. Or just buy fields outright. It's public benefit from private up-front investment. Not the worst path to get to the desired outcome. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 2 points 5 months ago This would be an excellent outcome. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Dippy@beehaw.org 1 point 5 months ago The 10 people who will still have cable TV in 10 years will be seeing commercials that say "do you own a home? Buy these data center solar panels! They're half a the price of a new panel, and only 7 years old. Installation is free!" permalink fedilink source parent
[–] cravl@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 months ago (2 children) Plus, if the demand for these AI datacenters were to suddenly decline, utilities could probably buy the excess energy. Or just buy fields outright. It's public benefit from private up-front investment. Not the worst path to get to the desired outcome. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 2 points 5 months ago This would be an excellent outcome. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Dippy@beehaw.org 1 point 5 months ago The 10 people who will still have cable TV in 10 years will be seeing commercials that say "do you own a home? Buy these data center solar panels! They're half a the price of a new panel, and only 7 years old. Installation is free!" permalink fedilink source parent
[–] rhythmisaprancer@piefed.social 2 points 5 months ago This would be an excellent outcome. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Dippy@beehaw.org 1 point 5 months ago The 10 people who will still have cable TV in 10 years will be seeing commercials that say "do you own a home? Buy these data center solar panels! They're half a the price of a new panel, and only 7 years old. Installation is free!" permalink fedilink source parent
[–] compostgoblin@piefed.blahaj.zone [S] 4 points 5 months ago Oh yeah, I didn’t post this to imply it’s a good thing, just relevant to the discussion of clean energy permalink fedilink source parent