{"id":2286651,"date":"2024-07-01T04:21:02","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T08:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/renewables-cant-satisfy-ais-insatiable-demand-for-energy-4\/"},"modified":"2024-07-01T04:25:23","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T08:25:23","slug":"renewables-cant-satisfy-ais-insatiable-demand-for-energy-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/renewables-cant-satisfy-ais-insatiable-demand-for-energy-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Renewables Fall Short of Meeting AI&#8217;s Massive Energy Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frenewables-cant-satisfy-ais-insatiable-demand-for-energy-4%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2286651&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the escalating energy demands\u2062 of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and evaluates \u200bthe capacity\u2063 of renewable energy \u2062sources to meet these needs. \u2063Mark\u200c P. Mills of\u200b the National Center for Energy Analytics highlights how AI&#8217;s computational\u200c needs, \u200cdriven by activities like deep learning and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rand-paul-reveals-his-anti-endorsement-says-hes-still-undecided-on-2024\/\" title=\"Rand Paul remains undecided on the 2024 election and reveals his anti-endorsement\">real-time data processing<\/a>, are \u2064expected to cause a significant increase in energy consumption, potentially reaching 1,000 \u2063terawatt-hours annually\u2064 by 2026, an\u200b amount equivalent to \u2062the total energy consumption of \u200bJapan.<\/p>\n<p>Mills points out that \u2064while Silicon Valley tech \u2064giants have committed\u200c to renewable energy, their claims of using\u2062 100% renewable sources \u200coften don&#8217;t align with reality, as these sources are intermittent and reliant on the broader energy \u2062grid, which\u200d still \u200bheavily depends \u200don fossil fuels for stability. This \u200bdisparity is underscored by the current situation in California, which despite\u2064 its aggressive renewable agenda, faces high electricity \u200ccosts and supply reliability issues due\u2062 to the variability\u2062 of solar and wind energy.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200ddiscussion extends\u2062 to the limitations of \u200crenewable energy in supporting continuous and high-demand\u2062 applications such as AI, \u200cwhich \u2062require stable and uninterrupted power supplies. Mills suggests that nuclear power, especially modular nuclear reactors, could\u2063 be a more \u200ceffective solution due\u200d to their ability to\u2063 provide consistent energy output essential \u2064for AI operations. However, he criticizes\u2062 the bureaucratic hurdles and slow pace of regulatory approvals that hinder the development of new nuclear facilities in the \u2064United States,\u2063 contrasting it with\u2062 the more rapid expansion of nuclear energy in countries like China \u200cand\u2064 India.<\/p>\n<p>the article\u200d calls attention to\u2063 the gap\u2064 between \u200cthe optimistic aspirations for a renewable-powered AI future and\u200c the practical challenges \u200cthat currently\u2063 exist,\u2064 suggesting a more \u2063significant role for nuclear power as\u200c a stable and \u2063efficient energy\u2062 source for high-demand technologies like \u200bAI.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>In the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), where data crunching and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/renewables-cant-satisfy-ais-insatiable-demand-for-energy\/\" title=\"Renewables Fall Short of Meeting AI&#039;s Massive Energy Needs\">machine-learning algorithms reign supreme<\/a>, the demand for energy has emerged as a critical concern. Mark P. Mills, the executive director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/energyanalytics.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Center for Energy Analytics<\/a> (an initiative I oversee at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texaspolicy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas Public Policy Foundation<\/a>), argues that the energy requirements for AI systems are far more substantial than most of us know. His insights paint a sobering picture of the energy landscape that awaits us as AI continues its relentless advance into every facet of modern life.<\/p>\n<p>Mills contends that the computational intensity of AI applications, such as deep learning and real-time data processing, is driving an unprecedented surge in energy consumption. According to the International Energy Agency, the global electricity consumption by AI alone could reach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afr.com\/world\/north-america\/the-next-cold-war-is-taking-place-in-a-chilled-data-centre-20240523-p5jfxl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually by 2026<\/a>, slightly more than the total electricity consumption of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/worldpopulationreview.com\/country-rankings\/electricity-consumption-by-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Japan<\/a>. The appetite will be formidable as it becomes integral to industries ranging from health care to finance, and transportation to agriculture.<\/p>\n<p>At the heart of the debate lies a fundamental question: Can renewable energy sources adequately power the AI revolution? Silicon Valley, home to tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Tesla, has been a vocal advocate for renewable energy solutions. Many of these companies have committed to ambitious sustainability goals, including achieving carbon neutrality or even operating entirely on renewable energy. Most of these promises are hollow, at best, in that they rely on periodic renewable energy contracts to make the claim that they&rsquo;re 100 percent renewable while connected to a grid stabilized and made reliable largely by traditional dispatchable thermal power &mdash; nuclear, natural gas, and even coal.<\/p>\n<p>California is the nation&rsquo;s test case for renewables. It&rsquo;s the state with the most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/renewables-cant-satisfy-ais-insatiable-demand-for-energy-3\/\" title=\"Renewables Fall Short of Meeting AI&#039;s Massive Energy Needs\">aggressive greenhouse gas reduction agenda<\/a>. I voted against <a href=\"http:\/\/www.leginfo.ca.gov\/pub\/05-06\/bill\/asm\/ab_0001-0050\/ab_32_bill_20060927_chaptered.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AB 32, the &ldquo;California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006<\/a>,&rdquo; which kicked off this effort. Back then, California&rsquo;s electricity prices were the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/electricity\/sales_revenue_price\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eighth most expensive in the nation and 44 percent above the national average<\/a>. Today, after installing all that &ldquo;cheap&rdquo; solar and wind energy, California&rsquo;s electricity prices are the second most expensive in the United States, trailing only Hawaii, with consumers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/electricity\/monthly\/epm_table_grapher.php?t=table_5_06_b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">paying almost double the national average<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, while a grid dominated by renewables isn&rsquo;t affordable, it&rsquo;s also not reliable. Mills argues that though renewable sources like solar and wind have made significant strides, they face <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nA1hqIPbVr8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inherent<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.city-journal.org\/article\/the-energy-transition-wont-happen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">limitations<\/a> in meeting the continuous and predictable energy demands of AI systems.<\/p>\n<p>The reality is stark: AI operations require uninterrupted power to function optimally. Unlike conventional electricity generation, where output can be adjusted to meet fluctuating demand, renewable sources depend on weather conditions and geographic location. This intermittency poses challenges for maintaining the stability and reliability of the power supply necessary for AI&rsquo;s computational tasks, which often operate around the clock. The same can be said of chip fabrication as well as other industrial processes.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the infrastructure needed to support AI&rsquo;s energy demands goes beyond generating capacity. Mills points out that the transmission and storage of electricity &mdash; key components in ensuring a reliable energy supply &mdash; are critical bottlenecks that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.financialsense.com\/podcast\/20900\/mark-mills-policy-vs-reality-and-coming-energy-storm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">must be addressed<\/a> to accommodate AI&rsquo;s voracious appetite for power. Without substantial advancements in grid technology and energy storage solutions, the scalability of renewable energy in meeting AI&rsquo;s needs remains a mirage &mdash; an expensive mirage.<\/p>\n<p>A promising solution lies in the adoption of modular nuclear reactors and nuclear power in general. These technologies offer the continuous and reliable energy necessary for AI operations, providing a stable base load that complements intermittent renewable sources. Nuclear power, with its low carbon emissions and high energy density, is uniquely positioned to support the energy-intensive demands of AI. <\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the regulatory process for permitting new nuclear power plants resembles a plate of spaghetti, with environmental lawsuits as the sauce on top. Only two new nuclear reactors have come online in the United States in the past three decades &mdash; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/news\/breaking-new-vogtle-nuclear-reactor-now-online-completing-expansion\/TX5IKFCXZ5EQ3AWY6SQRBOXQW4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vogtle Units 3 and 4<\/a>, which connected to the grid in July 2023 and April 2024 and &ldquo;produce enough electricity to power 1 million homes.&rdquo; China, on the other hand, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=61927\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">55 nuclear reactors<\/a> with 23 under construction, while India has <a href=\"https:\/\/world-nuclear.org\/information-library\/country-profiles\/countries-g-n\/india\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than 20 with seven more<\/a> under construction. Rather than reduce the red tape, Congress has sought to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ans.org\/news\/article-5836\/federal-appropriations-bills-include-212-million-hike-in-nuclear-funding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pour subsidies<\/a> on the problem &mdash; meaning that if nuclear power does get built here, it will take too long and cost too much.<\/p>\n<p>Silicon Valley&rsquo;s techno-optimism &mdash; and business plans &mdash; must be fueled by reliable power. But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/renewables-cant-satisfy-ais-insatiable-demand-for-energy-2\/\" title=\"Renewables Fall Short of Meeting AI&#039;s Massive Energy Needs\">green tech advocates remain steadfast<\/a> in their belief that renewables can and should power the AI future. However, the gap between aspiration and practicality is widening, sparking interesting political frictions in what used to be a close alliance.<\/p>\n<p>The political and policy implications of this debate are profound. Germany is a cautionary example of a nation that grappled with decarbonization goals and commitments under the Paris Agreement, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/features\/2024-02-10\/why-germany-s-days-as-an-industrial-superpower-are-coming-to-an-end?embedded-checkout=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">voluntarily starting the process of deindustrialization<\/a> in service of green goals &mdash; something envisioned by the Morgenthau Plan in the aftermath of World War II as a punishment and a means of preventing the Germans from having the capacity to start another world war. Now Germany is faced with making a costly volte-face on energy if it is to avoid being entirely dependent on China, much less even try to participate in the AI space.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the economic dimensions of AI&rsquo;s energy demands cannot be overlooked. Mills warns that overlooking the scale of energy consumption by AI could lead to supply constraints and price volatility in global energy markets. For industries reliant on AI technologies &mdash; from autonomous vehicles to smart grids &mdash; ensuring stable and affordable energy sources is essential for long-term viability and growth.<\/p>\n<p>AI is coming, whether policymakers understand the energy implications or not. Since politicians aren&rsquo;t likely to move fast enough, the fascinating thing to watch will be the necessity-driven transformation of Silicon Valley into a major energy-producing powerhouse.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p>      Chuck DeVore is chief national initiatives officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a former California legislator, and a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. He&#8217;s the author of <a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0BGNKPTLR\">&ldquo;The Crisis of the House Never United&mdash;A Novel of Early America.&rdquo; <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the AI domain, dominated by data processing and machine learning, energy demand is a significant issue. Mark P. Mills, executive director of the National Center for Energy Analytics at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, highlights the substantial energy needs of AI technologies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":563,"featured_media":2286652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Untitled-design-6.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[33434,33435,33430,33436,22452],"class_list":["post-2286651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-ai-technology","tag-energy-consumption","tag-renewable-energy","tag-renewable-energy-sources","tag-sustainability"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Untitled-design-6.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2286651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/563"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2286651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2286651\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2286652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2286651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2286651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2286651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}