Defenders say AI can do good to fight the climate crisis. But spiralling energy and water costs leave experts worried

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/32465427

Datacentres consume just 1% of the world’s electricity but may soon demand much more. Their share of US electricity is projected to more than double to 8.6% by 2035, according to BloombergNEF, while the IEA projects datacentres will account for at least 20% of the rich world’s growth in electricity demand to the end of the decade.

“This idea that the lower cost of renewables alone will drive decarbonisation – it’s not enough,” said Daly. “Because if there’s a huge source of energy demand that wants to grow, it will land on these stranded fossil fuel assets.”

Tech companies have resisted pressure to provide detailed data on their AI energy footprints,

The IEA estimates that AI could boost technically recoverable oil and gas reserves by 5% and cut the cost of a deepwater offshore project by 10%. Big oil is even more bullish. “Artificial intelligence is, ultimately, within the industry, going to be the next fracking boom,” Mike Sommers, head of the American Petroleum Institute, told Axios.

At the same time, the oil and gas industry says AI can cut its carbon intensity, for instance by analysing satellite data to spot methane leaks. But even here, critics say there is a gap between digital insights and corporate actions.

  • Optional@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
    181·
    2 days ago

    “This idea that the lower cost of renewables alone will drive decarbonisation – it’s not enough,” said Daly. “Because if there’s a huge source of energy demand that wants to grow, it will land on these stranded fossil fuel assets.”

    There’s also a huge issue around water use which isn’t mentioned in the article.

      • Ashtear@piefed.socialEnglish
        81·
        2 days ago

        It’s also going to get more efficient, like Amazon’s data centers have been over time. By the way, where was this zeal over water usage from people back when AWS and other data centers started popping up all over the place?

        The water issue will end up being more in how local water tables are affected, not overall consumption.

        • alsimoneau@lemmy.caEnglish
          9·
          1 day ago

          Yeah but when but gets 20% more efficient they build a second one. You still end up with a net increase.

      • Optional@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
        32·
        1 day ago

        Fair, but corn has a use. (Also not one I agree with but you get my meaning.)

        • ObtuseDoorFrame@lemmy.zipEnglish
          10·
          1 day ago

          Only 1% of the corn grown in the US is eaten by people. Most of it is used as animal feed (which is catastrophic on their systems as their stomachs aren’t designed to digest corn, so their corn diet slowly kills them) and a large portion is made into ethanol and added to gasoline. The corn subsidies are so dumb that they require a minimum amount of the corn being grown to be turned into ethanol, which is extremely inefficient.

          The Hank Green video someone linked above goes over some of the stuff I mentioned.

        • FauxLiving@lemmy.worldEnglish
          7·
          2 days ago

          I haven’t seen anything saying it was sponsored (other than by a news aggregator) and getting a lot of shit on the Internet isn’t any indication of being incorrect. The video is still up and no mention of anything like what you’re talking about.

          • Flowers Galore@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
            4·
            2 days ago

            Then i might be remembering wrong and if so I apologise.
            Edit: ah it was the financial advice related to ai that got him a lot of criticism