GOOGLE and AMAZON GO NUCLEAR!

Google made the headlines today, signing a groundbreaking deal to power its data centres with six or seven mini-nuclear reactors, known as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). To meet the electricity demands driven by the rise of artificial intelligence and cloud computing, they have ordered SMRs from California-based Kairos Power. This is the first commission of a new type of reactor for half a century and the first reactor is expected to be operational by 2030, the rest coming online by 2035

Pretty ambitious move, as the company sees nuclear power as a "clean, round-the-clock power source" that can reliably meet its growing energy needs. Michael Terrell, Google's senior director for energy and climate, emphasised that new electricity sources are essential to support AI technologies fueling scientific advances and economic growth.

Nuclear power provides a consistent and reliable source of carbon-free electricity 24/7. Unlike solar and wind, which are variable and depend on weather conditions, nuclear energy can meet continuous electricity demands, crucial for powering data centres and AI tech that needs uninterrupted energy supply. This allows for more predictable project delivery and deployment in a wider range of locations. Also, the smaller size and modular design of SMRs shorten construction timelines and lower costs. This all makes nuclear energy more accessible and economically viable. The deal was signed when Kairos met their necessary milestones. Google already use a ton of solar/wind/geothermal - it ain't enough. So they've given Kairos a commitment to buy if they meet their deadlines.

Amazon is paying actual money through their partnerships and investment in X-energy. They have two other nuclear deals with Energy MNOrthwest and Dominion Energy. 

Google and Amazon are not alone in turning to nuclear options. Microsoft recently struck a deal to source energy from Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island, reactivating the plant after a five-year hiatus. Amazon also acquired a nuclear-powered data centre earlier this year, signalling a broader industry shift toward embracing nuclear energy.

The UK is also witnessing a competitive push among companies to develop SMR technologies as the government seeks to rejuvenate its nuclear industry. Rolls-Royce SMR recently gained momentum by being selected by the Czech government to build a fleet of reactors. One wonders where the Labour Gov are on this - strangely silent?

This could be the start of something quite big, as it taps into the innovation, risk taking and problem solving that Governments seem to have lost on energy.

Energy and crypto

Another area we should look at is the waste in Crypto. I am no pure techno-optimist and have argued against Cryptocurrencies for years. It serves no useful purpose and is the purest form of speculation, driven by greed, often fuelled by fraud and crime. It is of no benefit to our species, a plague on our financial system and should be banned. But do we have an EU Crypto Act? China did it, the West did not. Do we have an army of Crypto safety people writing papers and attacking it day and night – no.

Yet its energy consumption way outweighs that of AI. Even back in 2022 it had the energy of a large country like the Netherlands and it has grown massively. Its energy consumption is way beyond that of AI even with projections to 2026.

Odd that we don't see well-funded anti-crypto institutions, safety summits, hard-core legislation (except China), hundreds of papers and thousands of 'Responsible' anti-Crypto 'Safety' bods?

Calculations for conference goers

If you're attending a conference by car you're emitting about 1000 grams of CO2 per 100 miles. A transatlantic flight from New York to London emits about 1 to 1.5 metric tons of CO₂ per passenger, depending on the aircraft, occupancy, and efficiency. (Business and first-class passengers may have a higher CO₂ footprint due to more space and lower passenger density. This  is for a single one-way flight. A return flight would be 2.200.000 grams. A GenAI request is 0.1- 1gram. For a European flight it is about 140.000 grams. A cup of coffee is 170 to 550 grams.

Conclusion

AI is here to stay. It does have energy needs but these are dwarfed by other wasteful activities, such as crypto. We are seeing AI help solve that problem it has created. That's what technology matters. We can stare into the abyss of climate change or get on and do something about it.