Data Centers Are the Epicenter of the Clean Energy Economy
There is a widely-held perception that data centers — the giant facilities that hold networks of society’s supercomputers — are an out-of-control energy suck.
It’s actually not true, says our guest. These myths are rooted in bad projections and false statements from coal advocates, dating all the way back to the 1990s.
Yes, data centers collectively use a lot of energy. But they’re becoming hyperefficient. They’re a magnet for renewables development. And they’re helping us unlock the powerful software, algorithms and heavy computational tasks that run the clean energy economy.
Our guest has been researching data centers for decades. It is Jonathan Koomey, an expert on sustainable IT. Jon was previously a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and a lecturer at Stanford. Today, he runs his own research and consulting outfit on the environmental impacts of information technology.
We’ll talk with him about the different ways that data centers are at the cutting edge of energy and sustainability.
We have a live taping of The Interchange on June 24th. Make sure to sign up and submit your questions!
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We’re also brought to you by Wärtsilä Energy. Wärtsilä is leading the energy transition with The Atlas of 100% Renewable Energy, an open-access tool based on the modeling of 145 countries and regions worldwide to illustrate the cost-optimal 100% renewable energy systems.