Articles tagged with "carbon-free-energy"
US firm plans to resurrect dead nuclear plant with twin SMRs at site
Holtec International has taken a significant step toward deploying two SMR-300 small modular reactors at the Palisades Energy Center in Covert, Michigan, by submitting the first part of a construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The application, which seeks a Limited Work Authorization (LWA), covers preliminary construction activities such as soil compaction, backfilling, and foundation installation for two 340-MWe pressurized water reactors named Pioneer-1 and Pioneer-2. These twin units are planned to be built on the site of the existing Palisades Nuclear Plant and are expected to add about 680 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the regional grid, with construction targeted for completion in the early 2030s. The project has been bolstered by a $400 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. This SMR development is occurring alongside efforts to restart the original 800-MW Palisades reactor, which operated from
energynuclear-energysmall-modular-reactorsSMRpower-generationcarbon-free-energyHoltec-InternationalSecond unit of world’s largest nuclear power base goes live in China
China has commenced commercial operations of Unit 2 at the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant, marking the completion of phase one of what will become the world’s largest nuclear power base. With a capacity of 1126 MWe, Unit 2 began operations on January 1, 2026, following a series of commissioning tests and a successful 168-hour trial run. The Zhangzhou site plans a total of six reactors, which upon completion will generate 60 billion kilowatt hours of carbon-free energy, aiming to supply about 75 percent of the energy needs for the cities of Xiamen and Zhangzhou in southern Fujian. This development aligns with China’s broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions and transition from fossil fuels to non-carbon energy sources, supporting its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. The project, a collaboration between China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and China Guodian Corporation, began construction in 2019 and has been notable for its timely delivery, completing Unit
energynuclear-powerrenewable-energyChina-energy-projectscarbon-free-energypower-plantnet-zero-emissionsAmazon bets on modular nuclear reactors to scale carbon-free power
Amazon is advancing its sustainability and carbon-free energy goals by investing in a new small modular reactor (SMR) facility called the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility in Washington state. In partnership with Energy Northwest and SMR developer X-energy, Amazon plans to build up to 12 next-generation Xe-100 reactors near the Columbia Generating Station in Richland. These reactors, smaller and safer than traditional nuclear plants, offer faster construction, lower costs, and flexible deployment. The initial capacity of the facility will be 320 megawatts, with potential expansion to 960 MW, aiming to power Amazon’s operations and support the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. Construction is expected to begin by the end of the decade, with operations targeted for the 2030s. The project is not only a significant step for Amazon’s carbon reduction efforts but also a boost to the local economy, creating over 1,000 construction jobs and more than 100 permanent positions in engineering and nuclear operations. To support
energymodular-nuclear-reactorscarbon-free-energysmall-modular-reactorsclean-energy-technologynuclear-powersustainable-energyEngineers unlock deep-earth heat to power a sustainable future
The article discusses the growing potential of geothermal energy as a sustainable and reliable source of clean power. Geothermal energy harnesses heat from the Earth’s crust, generated by the decay of radioactive elements deep underground, to produce electricity and provide heating and cooling. Recent advances in drilling technology and closed-loop systems have significantly expanded geothermal’s viability, enabling continuous power generation with capacity factors often exceeding 90 percent. Experts estimate geothermal energy could supply up to 15 percent of global electricity demand by 2050, offering a carbon-free alternative to fossil-fuel baseload sources like coal and natural gas. Geothermal energy is abundant and nearly inexhaustible, with heat accessible within 2 to 12 miles beneath the Earth’s surface, containing vastly more energy than all fossil fuel reserves combined. It produces minimal emissions, operates independently of weather or daylight, and requires less land than solar or wind farms, making it suitable for diverse locations. Additionally, geothermal systems can efficiently provide heating and cooling through ground-source heat pumps.
energygeothermal-energysustainable-energyclean-powerrenewable-energydrilling-technologycarbon-free-energyUS to build 'historic' nuclear plant to power 4.5 million homes
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has partnered with ENTRA1 Energy to develop up to 6 gigawatts (GW) of new nuclear power through the construction of six nuclear plants across TVA’s seven-state region. Each plant will use 12 NuScale Power Modules (NPM), a small modular reactor (SMR) technology that is the only US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-approved SMR currently ready for commercial deployment. Together, these plants are expected to generate approximately 5.5 GW of electricity, enough to power around 4.5 million homes or 60 large-scale data centers. ENTRA1 Energy will finance, build, and own the plants, while TVA will purchase the generated power. The NuScale Power Module integrates the reactor core, steam generators, and pressurizer into a compact vessel, allowing factory production and shipment to sites, which can reduce costs and construction time compared to traditional nuclear plants. Each module produces 77 megawatts electric (M
energynuclear-powersmall-modular-reactorsNuScale-Power-Modulecarbon-free-energybaseload-powerenergy-infrastructureAmazon to deploy X-energy's nuclear reactors to power AI data centers
Amazon has partnered with X-energy, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), and Doosan Enerbility to develop advanced small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S. to power AI data centers. The collaboration focuses on deploying X-energy’s Xe-100 SMRs, which use TRISO-X fuel, known for its high safety standards. This initiative addresses the rapidly growing energy demands of data centers, projected to consume between 214 TWh and 675 TWh annually by 2030—up to 2.6 times the 2023 levels. SMRs offer a reliable, low-emission, and grid-independent power source that can be sited near data centers, reducing transmission losses and enabling efficient energy management. Amazon’s plan includes a 5 GW SMR roadmap featuring 12 Xe-100 units at the Energy Northwest site, with additional reactors planned for Seadrift, Texas, pending regulatory approval. Each partner contributes unique strengths: X-energy provides advanced reactor technology,
energynuclear-reactorssmall-modular-reactorsdata-centersAI-power-demandcarbon-free-energyAmazon-AWSGoogle's geothermal experiments are engineering templates for the energy transition
Google is pioneering the integration of engineered geothermal systems (EGS) into its next-generation data centers to address the growing thermal and power demands driven by AI-scale computing. As AI workloads increase, traditional cooling methods like air cooling are becoming insufficient, especially with emerging high-performance chips such as Nvidia’s GB200, which generate significantly higher thermal loads. Google's approach involves leveraging subsurface heat as a stable, low-carbon energy source that can be engineered for dispatchability and scaled to meet the real-time power and thermal needs of hyperscale compute infrastructure. This initiative aims not only to provide near-constant carbon-free energy (CFE) for Google’s operations but also to serve as a scalable blueprint for the broader energy transition. Google’s geothermal efforts include two major projects: an enhanced geothermal system in Nevada developed with startup Fervo Energy, which employs advanced techniques like horizontal drilling and fiber-optic monitoring; and a corporate geothermal power purchase agreement in Taiwan with Baseload Capital, designed to deliver 10 MW of reliable power
energygeothermal-energyclean-energydata-centerscarbon-free-energypower-systemsthermal-managementGoogle’s data center energy use doubled in four years
Google’s data center electricity consumption has more than doubled from 14.4 million megawatt-hours in 2020 to 30.8 million megawatt-hours in 2024, reflecting rapid growth over the past decade with a seven-fold increase since 2014. Data centers now account for 95.8% of Google’s total electricity use, underscoring the challenge of meeting the company’s commitment to power all operations with carbon-free energy. Despite significant efficiency improvements, with Google's power usage effectiveness (PUE) nearing the theoretical ideal of 1.0, further gains have slowed, necessitating increased electricity supply. To meet its carbon-free goals amid soaring demand, Google is investing heavily in diverse energy sources including geothermal, nuclear (both fusion and fission), and renewables. Geothermal energy offers consistent power generation, while Google has committed to purchasing electricity from future nuclear fusion and small modular reactor projects, though these will not come online for several years. In the near term
energydata-centerscarbon-free-energyrenewable-energygeothermal-powernuclear-powerenergy-efficiencyNvidia joins Gates-backed nuclear startup to power AI’s energy needs
Nvidia has invested in TerraPower, a nuclear energy company founded by Bill Gates, through its venture arm NVentures as part of a $650 million funding round. This strategic move aims to address the rapidly growing energy demands of AI-driven data centers, whose electricity consumption is expected to more than double by 2030. TerraPower develops advanced small modular reactors (SMRs), including its flagship Natrium project in Wyoming, which features a 345-megawatt sodium-cooled fast reactor paired with a gigawatt-scale molten salt energy storage system. This design allows for flexible, carbon-free power generation that can complement intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar. TerraPower is progressing toward commercial operation of the Natrium plant by 2030, with non-nuclear construction already underway. The company has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Sabey Data Centers to explore supplying nuclear energy directly to the data center industry, marking a significant early collaboration between advanced nuclear developers and major tech infrastructure operators.
energynuclear-energyAI-energy-needsTerraPowersmall-modular-reactorsdata-centerscarbon-free-energy