Articles tagged with "power-demand"
Rising data center electricity use risks blackouts during winter storms
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warns that the rapid growth of data centers is significantly increasing electricity demand this winter, raising risks of grid instability and potential blackouts during severe weather events. Electricity demand across North America is expected to rise by 2.5% compared to last year, with data centers in regions such as the mid-Atlantic, U.S. West, and Southeast driving much of this increase. Texas, in particular, faces heightened risk due to ongoing data center expansion, which compounds challenges from past cold snaps when natural gas supply was constrained and demand surged. While Texas has bolstered its grid resilience by adding battery storage systems capable of quickly responding to short-term demand spikes, these batteries typically provide power for only a few hours. This limitation poses challenges during prolonged cold spells, as data centers consume electricity steadily throughout the day, making it difficult to maintain battery charge levels sufficient to support all users. NERC notes that if no major storms occur this winter, grid operations should remain
energydata-centerselectricity-gridbattery-storagepower-demandnatural-gasrenewable-energyYottar wants to help energy users find capacity on the electrical grid
Yottar is a startup addressing the growing strain on electrical grids caused by surging demand from AI, electric vehicles, and data centers. Unlike competitors that try to identify unused capacity by disputing utility claims, Yottar creates detailed, location-specific maps of grid capacity to help medium-sized electricity users—typically projects requiring 1 to 5 megawatts—find available power. This approach aids companies in efficiently selecting sites for new energy-intensive infrastructure, a process that would otherwise be too time-consuming to do manually. Notable customers include Tesla and the U.K.’s National Health Service. The company sources much of its data directly from distribution networks, which regulators mandate to share information, and supplements this with licensed private data and anonymized customer connection records. Yottar recently raised $1 million in pre-seed funding and is launching a feature to quickly identify locations suitable for grid upgrades or new equipment. Currently operating in the U.K., Yottar plans to expand internationally, recognizing that grid
energyelectrical-gridgrid-capacityenergy-managementpower-demandenergy-startupsSaaS-energy-solutionsAI May Gobble Up Every Available Electron In Its Quest To Sell Us More Stuff - CleanTechnica
The article discusses the significant federal funding—$90 billion—pledged by the U.S. government, redirected from social programs and renewable energy subsidies, to support major tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon in building AI infrastructure. This investment aims to secure American dominance in artificial intelligence but raises concerns about the massive electricity demand such data centers will require. Analysts predict that by 2030, data centers could consume up to 10% or more of all U.S. electricity, potentially driving up energy costs for ordinary Americans by 50% or higher. The article critiques this allocation of resources amid ongoing social needs and questions the sustainability of such energy consumption. Additionally, the article highlights OpenAI’s continued expansion, including a $500 billion investment commitment to build 10 gigawatts of AI infrastructure, further emphasizing the scale of AI’s energy appetite. While some innovations, like the Energy Dome technology from an Italian startup partnering with Google, offer promising ways to store renewable energy for longer periods
energyAI-infrastructuredata-centerselectricity-consumptionrenewable-energyfederal-fundingpower-demandHow ‘Ice Battery’ powers 4,000+ US buildings, cuts cooling energy use by 40%
energycoolingIce-Batteryenergy-savingspower-demandrefrigerationenergy-storageAI Is Eating Data Center Power Demand—and It’s Only Getting Worse
energyAIdata-centerspower-demandgreenhouse-gas-emissionssustainabilityclimate-impact