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The Burgeoning Energy Appetite of AI Data Centres:
A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) indicates that by 2030, the energy consumed in processing data, predominantly for AI, in the U.S. alone could surpass the combined electrical consumption of producing heavy-duty goods like steel, cement, and chemicals. The global rush towards AI technology is set to demand almost as much energy as today's Japan's energy usage by the end of this decade. Still, renewable sources are projected to meet just about half of this demand.
A Quadruple Jump in Energy Demand:
According to the report, the worldwide electricity demand by data centres is set to more than double by 2030, fuelled mainly by AI. Specifically, AI data centres' energy requirements will likely more than quadruple. The report revealed that a single data centre could consume as much electricity as hundreds of thousands of households, with some in-development data centres expected to demand 20 times more.
Threat to Climate Crisis Overstated:
However, the report published by the IEA asserts that the fears that the swift adoption of AI technology could thwart efforts to handle the climate crisis have been 'overstated'. This comes due to the fact that AI can help make energy usage more efficient along with other activities, subsequently reducing the overall greenhouse gas emissions.
AI as an Energy consumption solution:
Moreover, AI can be instrumental in designing electricity grids to accommodate more renewable energy. Utilizing AI can make finding efficiencies in energy systems and various industrial processes simpler. For example, mining companies could leverage AI to identify and utilize reserves of critical minerals, crucial components for solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Such applications could offset some of the massive demands AI places on the world’s energy systems.
A penchant for Non-renewables?
Despite its potential to reduce energy use, AI also runs the risk of reversing the improvements made in lowering energy use in advanced economies. Companies might resort to readily available energy sources like gas plants and even coal-produced electricity, particularly in the US. If poorly managed, AI could exacerbate water scarcity in some of the world's driest regions as AI data centres often employ substantial volumes of fresh water for cooling their computing systems.
A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) indicates that by 2030, the energy consumed in processing data, predominantly for AI, in the U.S. alone could surpass the combined electrical consumption of producing heavy-duty goods like steel, cement, and chemicals. The global rush towards AI technology is set to demand almost as much energy as today's Japan's energy usage by the end of this decade. Still, renewable sources are projected to meet just about half of this demand.
A Quadruple Jump in Energy Demand:
According to the report, the worldwide electricity demand by data centres is set to more than double by 2030, fuelled mainly by AI. Specifically, AI data centres' energy requirements will likely more than quadruple. The report revealed that a single data centre could consume as much electricity as hundreds of thousands of households, with some in-development data centres expected to demand 20 times more.
Threat to Climate Crisis Overstated:
However, the report published by the IEA asserts that the fears that the swift adoption of AI technology could thwart efforts to handle the climate crisis have been 'overstated'. This comes due to the fact that AI can help make energy usage more efficient along with other activities, subsequently reducing the overall greenhouse gas emissions.
AI as an Energy consumption solution:
Moreover, AI can be instrumental in designing electricity grids to accommodate more renewable energy. Utilizing AI can make finding efficiencies in energy systems and various industrial processes simpler. For example, mining companies could leverage AI to identify and utilize reserves of critical minerals, crucial components for solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Such applications could offset some of the massive demands AI places on the world’s energy systems.
A penchant for Non-renewables?
Despite its potential to reduce energy use, AI also runs the risk of reversing the improvements made in lowering energy use in advanced economies. Companies might resort to readily available energy sources like gas plants and even coal-produced electricity, particularly in the US. If poorly managed, AI could exacerbate water scarcity in some of the world's driest regions as AI data centres often employ substantial volumes of fresh water for cooling their computing systems.
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