Carbon Clarity
Carbon Clarity is a podcast for the carbon curious - with interviews, news and views from experts in the world of carbon and sustainability.
We'll be connecting with some amazing guests to bring you insight, interest and clarity.
If you want to find out more about Hut22, head over to our website: hut22.co.uk
Carbon Clarity
#11 AI's Energy Use: Can Data Centres Keep Up?
The rise of Artificial Intelligence is changing our world, but at what cost? AI searches consume significantly more energy than standard online queries, and the data centres powering this revolution are transforming into the heavy industry of our age. But how do these energy-hungry giants impact our planet and communities?
In this episode, we talk to Anna Dowson, Senior Director of Sustainability at Greenscale, to pull back the curtain on data centres. We explore their critical role in our digital lives and the sustainability challenges they face. Discover how AI is reshaping data centre design, the drive for greater energy efficiency, and the potential for these facilities to positively contribute to local communities and energy grids.
We'll also tackle the big questions: Can renewable energy sources and innovations like liquid cooling provide a sustainable path forward? And with the increasing demand for data, can we overcome the power constraints that threaten to slow development? Join us for an enlightening discussion on the surprising intersection of AI, energy, and the future of our digital infrastructure.
Things mentioned in the show:
Jargon: we tried to clarify jargon as we went, but if you want to understand more, there's a great glossary of data centre terms here.
Anna Dowson: Find out more about our guest here.
Greenscale: A new player in the data centre market but one that's looking to do things differently it seems. Check them out here.
Carbon Clarity #10: The conversation with Nigel Banks of Octopus Energy around electricity grid capacity is certainly relevant. Check it out here.
EU Energy Efficiency Directive: The recast of the directive in 2022 put a much sharper focus on data centres - read more at this useful blog.
Corporate PPAs: Find out more about the different types of PPA here - maybe it's something your company should look into?
Scientific study: This study looks at the growing energy demands of AI - find it here.
Liquid cooling: Liquid? Around all that electricity? Madness? It seems not - this useful article explains more about liquid cooling.
Website: https://www.hut22.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-couling/
Music credits:
March of the Bold by Balloon Planet (via Artlist.io)
Check out their stuff here: https://soundcloud.com/balloon-planet