Follow up to this post
Artificial intelligence developers want new data centers asap. But local opposition is slowing everything down.
Energy is a big issue. Additional nuclear power plants of any type would help fill the energy gap, but it takes time to build up new ones. Anyway, our power grid is not as robust as it should be, so how will it handle huge new amounts of power? And since the needed increase of energy will probably come initially from fossil fuels, pollution could be a problem.
Massive amounts of cooling technology will also be required for data centers because so much heat will be generated. Will it come from local water sources like rivers or springs? Communities often don't like that idea.
Will local governments be receptive to enormous energy needs, possible local electricity rate hikes, possible pollution, and the draining of water resources if they allow a data center to be built?
So far, communities are delaying or blocking permits for the proposed building of data centers.
“Opposition is cross-partisan and geographically mixed,” the researchers wrote. “Blue and red states alike are tightening rules or rethinking incentives; legislators in places like Virginia, Minnesota, and South Dakota are scrutinizing subsidies, grid impacts, and local authority, often cutting across traditional party lines.”
from NBC
(cont'd tomorrow)
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