AMERICANTHINKER (American Thinker Blog) - Energy reality forces tech to ditch climate virtue-signaling
By Vijay Jayaraj If we want the data centers to run, we have to ditch the global warming propaganda.
NYTIMES (David Wallace-Wells) - Americans Hate Data Centers. Why?
Three fourths of Americans oppose data centers. Why?
AXIOS (Rebecca Falconer) - How new cooling technologies could cut AC electricity demand
America's answer to hotter summers has overwhelmingly been more air conditioning, and engineers are now looking for ways to keep people cool without driving up electricity demand. Why it matters: The need for cooling is surging. The issue isn't just how to generate more electricity — it's how to use less of it and ease demand when grids are most strained. Between the lines: A July study finds that keeping buildings cool without relying solely on AC will be critical for adapting to climate change. - AC is already nearly ubiquitous in the U.S., but that doesn't mean its electricity consumption has peaked. - "The market is saturated, but the use of air conditioning or the energy consumption for air conditioning will increase because…
AXIOS (Herb Scribner) - The data center fight is hitting a fever pitch. Here's how they actually work
Data centers have become the face of AI backlash, with celebrities, politicians and protesters pushing to slow their growth. Why it matters: America's sharply rising public opposition to data centers — which fuel our everyday use of the internet — could pose an existential threat to AI's growth. State of play: There are at least 4,000 data centers nationwide, with some 3,000 under construction or planned. - The centers are often big, windowless warehouses with few people in sight, and many are developed in secrecy . Driving the news: Data centers have become a focus of anti-AI sentiment, with 70% of Americans opposing their construction. - Former NFL star Jason Kelce announced a partnership between his Garage beer company and…
DAILYCALLER (Paris Apodaca) - It’s Not Just Data Centers: Privately Owned Water Utilities In Deep Blue State Are Soaking Consumers
‘ripple effects for ratepayers’
AXIOS (Rebecca Falconer) - Why the U.S. grid's extreme heat problem is changing
Solar energy and batteries are making it easier for utilities to meet surging electricity demand during extreme heat , but prolonged high temperatures are exposing other vulnerabilities in the grid. Why it matters: Electricity demand rises as air conditioners work harder in extreme heat, while high temperatures can make parts of the system less efficient and put additional stress on equipment. The big picture: Climate change is extending periods of extreme heat just as electrification and data centers add new loads, leaving parts of the grid working harder for longer. Between the lines: Michael Webber, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin, tells Axios that grid operators face a "triple whammy" under…
WASHINGTONPOST (Amber Phillips) - The data center backlash is building
Just in time for the midterm elections.
NYTIMES (Evan Gorelick) - A.I. Gas Guzzlers
We look at what’s powering data centers.
AXIOS (Amy Harder) - UN's renewable-powered AI goal meets physical reality
Data: International Energy Agency ; Note: In terrawatt-hours; Chart: Amy Harder/Axios A recent United Nations call to power data centers with renewable energy highlights a central tension in the AI boom: Renewables are rising, but so is reliance on fossil fuels. Why it matters: Electricity demand for data centers is projected to at least double in the next four years, and where that power comes from will influence investments — and the trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. Driving the news: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is calling on all data centers to be powered by renewable energy by 2030, along with being more transparent on their energy, water and land impacts. Reality check: Most energy analysts say the UN's…
AMERICANTHINKER - Thank your friendly neighborhood data center
By Peter C. Earle Ironically, data centers are performing an extremely valuable public service: they are revealing regulatory bottlenecks that remained largely invisible while electricity demand was growing slowly.