The Financial Times (behind a paywall) anticipates that the AI revolution will be a boon for natural gas, according to fossil fuel bosses. “AI’s soaring energy needs will rise well beyond what renewable energy and batteries can deliver, executives argue, making more planet-warming fossil fuel supplies crucial even as governments vow to slash their use.” The article says that “data centres’ voracious power needs are set to rocket, as cloud storage facilities, crypto mining and AI all add strain to grids. Microsoft alone is opening a new data centre globally every three days.” It quotes the IEA’s estimates that power demand from data centres globally could top 1000 TWh by 2026 which is double the level in 2022. But while fossil fuel executives are convinced that natural gas will be the solution, many tech companies are looking towards greener electricity sources. According to the French weekly Le Point, Microsoft will likely develop a nuclear source for its future supercomputer Stargate, which will need up to 5 gigawatts. Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI, has invested in small nuclear reactors to power its rising AI power needs. Bill Gates has founded TerraPower to develop nuclear reactors. The solutions for this massive energy-consuming sector are already being charted. It will soon be a missed opportunity to meet this huge future demand with genuinely sustainable, green energy supply.
It is encouraging to see a new commentary on the IEA website entitled “More efficient and flexible buildings are key to clean energy transitions.” We have been arguing this point for many years. Let’s hope the message gets through to climate and energy decision-makers.
Robin Loos, Senior Sustainable Transport Officer, from the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) was inspired by an inaugural night train trip from Brussels to Prague operated by European Sleeper to write a blog about what makes a good EU-wide railway system for consumers. What are your views?
In upcoming weeks there are two events not to miss. In May there is Australia’s 2024 Energy Efficiency National Conference. In June, eceee holds its bi-annual summer study. Check out details on the two events here. For the recent World Sustainable Energy Days, here is a good review of the event.
In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here is some useful news to help you along;
- The inews website provides Europe’s most exciting new rail routes for 2024.
- For the best hikes in Europe in 2024, there are many good suggestions on the 57 hours website. For those who want to combine hiking with food and wine, check out the Hedonistic Hiking website.
- 5 stunning spring cycling destinations in Europe are recommended on the Get Your Guide website.
- There is always the option of virtual tourism at the Xplore Nature Channel. There are now 130 videos. Find out more about the channel here.
Daniel Kahneman (1934-2024), the Nobel Prize-winning Israeli-American author, psychologist, and economist known for his work on hedonism, the psychology of judgment, and decision-making, who died recently, provides another important message to us from his book Thinking Fast and Slow: “The illusion that one has understood the past feeds the further illusion that one can predict and control the future.”
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
- New global report on renewables from REN21
- Carbon Majors Update: Just 57 fossil fuel and cement producers linked to 80% of global fossil CO2 emissions produced since the Paris Agreement
- “Ignore Energy Performance Certificate advice”: new Government policy?
- Blog by Jane Marsh: Why are so many American EV chargers broken?
- EU to probe subsidies to Chinese solar panel manufacturers that have distorted European market
- How industry can address the challenges of the energy transition
- “If we are to have any chance of reaching the Paris Agreement goals, we will have to reward those who play the game and penalize those who do not”
- UN’s new “loss and damage” fund off to slow start
- Paris embraces the ’15-minute city’ concept
Please send your comments on any of the posts. Please follow us on X at @EnergyDemand and @rodjanssen. Please recommend EiD to your friends and colleagues.
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Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 