The author also discusses the potential environmental impact of large-scale solar power generation. They argue that while it would require a significant amount of land, it would still be less than that currently used for agriculture. The author also raises the question of whether the demand for AI and the associated power requirements could lead to the entire world being covered in solar panels. They suggest that this is a possibility that needs to be considered and planned for.
Key takeaways:
- Major forecasted demand growth in utilities is largely due to data centers, particularly those running new AI applications from major tech companies.
- There is a need to move away from the constraint of attaching new data centers to the grid, and instead provide power locally using renewable energy generation and batteries for energy storage.
- Despite high solar and battery costs, running a 24/7 operation requires less than 10% of the data center cost.
- The development of AI and the demand for artificial intelligence could potentially lead to a future where the world is covered in solar panels to meet energy needs.