The hottest Energy consumption Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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The Big Data Center Water Problem

The Asianometry Newsletter • 2707 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Data Centers AI Impact Energy consumption
  1. Data centers use a lot of water, around 80-130 million gallons a year for just 15 megawatts of IT capacity. That's similar to the water use of multiple hospitals or golf courses.
  2. Cooling systems in data centers are essential since they generate a lot of heat. Most use air or liquid cooling, which requires significant amounts of water for efficient operation.
  3. As AI becomes more popular, data centers will consume even more energy and water. Companies need to adopt better cooling and energy solutions to manage this growing demand sustainably.

Some emissions are more equal than others

Irina Slav on energy • 2004 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Greenhouse Gases Scientific research Energy consumption Carbon Footprint Climate change
  1. Some emissions are necessary to help avoid catastrophic climate change.
  2. Scientists need to focus on the bigger emission picture rather than solely worrying about their own emissions.
  3. There is a call for cognitive dissonance among scientists when it comes to emissions and the necessity of some emissions.

Thermodynamics of air capture of carbon dioxide

The Climate Brink • 864 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Thermodynamics Carbon Capture Global Warming Energy consumption Climate solutions
  1. Thermodynamics helps us understand the energetics of processes and evaluates their effectiveness.
  2. Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology can play a significant role in reducing atmospheric CO2 levels beyond traditional emissions reduction methods.
  3. Implementing DAC technology requires a massive amount of energy, emphasizing the importance of finding climate-safe energy sources.

Will renewables lead to a consumption rebound?

GEM Energy Analytics • 259 implied HN points • 11 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Energy consumption Environmental Economics
  1. Electricity prices are changing a lot due to the rise of renewable energy sources. This fluctuation can create opportunities for consumers to save money by using power when it's cheapest.
  2. To make the most of these price changes, electricity tariffs should adjust in real-time, encouraging users to shift their power usage to times when energy is abundant and cheap.
  3. However, this adjustment in tariffs could lead to increased overall electricity consumption, as people might use more energy when the costs are low, which may go against goals for energy efficiency.
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Fostering Flexibility Through Electricity Tariff

GEM Energy Analytics • 159 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Energy consumption Sustainability
  1. Electricity prices can vary a lot, especially with more wind and solar power. This means we need to be flexible about when we use electricity.
  2. Better tariff structures can encourage people to use electricity when it's cheaper and more abundant, like during sunny or windy times.
  3. A new tariff system should charge people based on their electricity usage in real-time and how much they can use, rather than having a flat rate. This helps balance energy use with available resources.

How much more electricity will the UK need to switch to electric vehicles?

Sustainability by numbers • 188 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Electric Vehicles Energy consumption Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency
  1. Fully switching to electric cars in the UK would increase electricity demand by around one-quarter.
  2. Transitioning all road transport to electric would lead to a 40% increase in electricity demand in the UK.
  3. Shifting to electric transport significantly reduces overall energy demand due to the higher efficiency of electric vehicles compared to petrol and diesel vehicles.

AI's Environmental Impact: How Much Energy Does It Consume?

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Energy consumption Carbon Footprint Data Centers Renewable Energy
  1. Artificial intelligence (AI) consumes a significant amount of energy and contributes to a large carbon footprint due to its need for computing power.
  2. The main sources of AI's carbon footprint are data centers that rely on fossil fuels or non-renewable energy sources to power and cool the machines.
  3. Both AI and cryptocurrency mining are energy-intensive activities but can benefit from renewable energy sources and face challenges related to ethics and regulation.

Review 2023 - Energy

nicosmid • 19 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Bitcoin Mining Sustainable energy Environmental Impact Energy consumption
  1. Bitcoin mining power usage in 2023 was around 16-18 GW with over 50% coming from renewable sources.
  2. Bitcoin mining industry leads in using sustainable energy and saw a significant increase in the mix of renewable sources.
  3. Bitcoin miners can operate independently of traditional power grids and 75.3% of off-grid mining relies on sustainable energy.

Exploring Personal Solar Energy Data

Solar Powered Data • 19 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Energy Production Energy consumption
  1. Exploring personal solar energy data can start with simple steps like getting quotes from platforms like EnergySage.
  2. Solar panel energy production can vary due to factors like weather conditions and time of year, impacting electricity consumption offset and savings.
  3. Net metering and understanding energy consumption patterns are crucial for optimizing the benefits of residential solar energy systems.

Galaxy’s vertical bet

Miner Weekly • 19 implied HN points • 31 Dec 22
🕹 Technology Bitcoin Mining Digital Assets Energy consumption Regulation Hardware and Infrastructure
  1. Galaxy Digital acquired distressed assets from Argo Blockchain, showcasing a move towards vertical integration.
  2. Galaxy's increased focus on self-mining production may pave the way for more competitive cost efficiencies.
  3. The cryptocurrency industry's landscape saw significant developments in 2022, with companies facing challenges and seeking strategies for growth in the coming year.

3 Million Barrels of Oil Per Batt!

Aether Pirates of the Matterium! • 3 HN points • 26 Feb 23
🔬 Science Energy Electric Vehicles Environmental Impact Energy consumption
  1. It takes a lot of oil to produce and charge an electric vehicle battery, potentially more than the amount it would save over its lifetime.
  2. The total energy cost of producing and using the Tesla Model S Long Range battery pack, including environmental factors like disposal and fires, is equivalent to about 3,088,431 barrels of oil.
  3. Factors like lithium extraction, transportation, factory construction, and battery recycling all contribute to the overall energy cost of electric vehicle batteries.

Is the next crunch in the AI race the lack of data center space?

danvdb • 1 HN point • 26 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Data Centers Energy consumption Infrastructure Market Dynamics
  1. The AI industry might face a shortage of data center space with the increase in NVIDIA H100 GPUs.
  2. The energy consumption from the forecasted 4.5 million H100 GPUs in 2023/24 could exceed the data center capacity, posing a challenge.
  3. Existing data centers may struggle to retrofit the necessary equipment and manage the power demands of the upcoming surge in GPU servers.

Why Blockchain Remains in the Shadows

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain Regulation Energy consumption Innovation
  1. Blockchain struggles to gain cultural relevance due to human societies' operation with opacity and grey areas.
  2. Many people have limited understanding of blockchain technology, hindering its adoption outside of tech circles.
  3. The challenges facing blockchain include transparency issues, lack of scalability, technology debt, and dwindling investor attention compared to other tech sectors.

Are AI Girlfriends the Great Filter?

Neural Networking • 0 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Simulation Brain Energy consumption GDP
  1. The Fermi paradox questions why we haven't encountered extraterrestrial life despite the vastness of the universe.
  2. The possibility of AI advancing to perfectly stimulate human reward pathways might lead to a decline in the desire for outward expansion.
  3. Current trends in global population growth, energy consumption, and GDP concentration suggest that the need for physical exploration may be diminishing.

Coin Metrics’ State of the Network: Issue 211

Coin Metrics' State of the Network • 0 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🔮 Crypto Bitcoin Mining Energy consumption Data Analysis
  1. Study presented a new methodology for estimating Bitcoin's energy consumption using data patterns from mining hardware.
  2. Mining process involves searching for a special number called 'nonce' and each mining machine leaves an identifiable pattern.
  3. The study estimated Bitcoin's power draw at 13.4 GW in May 2023, which is around 16% less than Cambridge University's estimate, showcasing the importance of accurate analysis in the cryptocurrency industry.

Fuel for Thought: The High Cost of Fossil Fuel Dependence

Adetokunbo Sees • 0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Fossil fuels Energy consumption Greenhouse Gases Climate Crisis
  1. Fossil fuels are still the main source of energy worldwide, making up a large part of electricity and transportation. This heavy reliance impacts our environment and lifestyle significantly.
  2. The demand for products like cars, cement, and electricity continues to rise, leading to more fossil fuel consumption. This trend puts more pressure on the climate and resources.
  3. To address this issue, we need to shift to public transport, electric vehicles, and energy-efficient technology. Making these changes could help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels in the future.