Powering up the future! 🚀
Google is taking a giant leap into nuclear energy ⚛️ to fuel its AI ambitions. The tech titan has inked an agreement with startup Kairos Power to bring small modular reactors (SMRs) online by 2030. Talk about thinking ahead! 🤖⚡
By teaming up with Kairos, Google plans to harness 500 megawatts of clean nuclear power from six to seven SMRs over the next decade. That's a big move to meet the skyrocketing energy demands of artificial intelligence. 🧠💡
\"We feel like nuclear can play an important role in helping to meet our demand… cleanly in a way that's more around the clock,\" said Michael Terrell, Google's senior director for energy and climate. 🌍♻️
And Google's not alone! Other tech giants are jumping on the nuclear bandwagon. Earlier this year, Amazon snagged a nuclear-powered data center, and Microsoft is working to reboot a unit of the historic Three Mile Island plant. 🏭💻
Why the sudden nuclear craze? AI is driving up power needs like never before. U.S. data center power use is projected to triple by 2030, needing a whopping 47 gigawatts of new capacity! 🌐⚡
SMRs are smaller and more flexible than traditional reactors, promising to be built faster and cheaper. But not everyone is convinced. Critics argue they might not achieve the cost savings of larger plants and could produce long-lasting nuclear waste. 😕☢️
Google's commitment is more than just buying power; it's sending a message. By backing Kairos, they're pushing the envelope to accelerate SMR development. \"We're confident that this novel approach is going to improve the prospects of our projects being delivered on cost and on schedule,\" said Mike Laufer, CEO and co-founder of Kairos. 🤝🔋
The future of energy is evolving, and tech companies are at the forefront. Will nuclear power be the game-changer for AI? Only time will tell! ⏳✨
Reference(s):
Google to buy nuclear power for AI needs from startup Kairos
cgtn.com
