Essay by Eric Worrall
First published JoNova; Yet more evidence yesterday’s utopian corporate climate mission statements are today’s shredder trash.
Why Big Corporations Are Quietly Abandoning Their Climate Commitments?
Jemma Green
Contributor
Updated Aug 30, 2024, 03:09pm EDTOn the topic of climate and carbon reduction commitments, corporations like Google, Microsoft, and Shell once positioned themselves as leaders in sustainability, setting ambitious net-zero goals to align with global environmental efforts. However, the rapid rise of energy-hungry artificial intelligence is forcing these companies to reconsider—or even abandon—these commitments as they struggle to balance environmental responsibility and making money from new tech.
AI’s energy hunger and corporate climate hypocrisy
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Training and operating large AI models demands immense computational power, typically sourced from data centers in regions where energy is cheaper rather than where renewable energy is dominant. This rapid expansion poses a significant threat to global clean energy transition efforts, prompting the International Energy Agency (IEA) to suggest that governments consider carbon taxes to account for AI’s environmental impact.
The situation is particularly pertinent in the United States, where data centers outnumber those in China nearly 12 to 1. As AI demand skyrockets, so does the need for computing resources and the energy to power it. Utilities in the U.S. are scrambling to increase capacity to support both energy transition objectives and growing AI and manufacturing markets. Research from Goldman Sachs estimates that data center power demand will grow 160% by 2030.
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Forbes goes on to claim blockchain purchase of random compute resources might allow more efficiency, but that doesn’t solve the problem of where all that extra energy is supposed to come from.
Former corporate green champions seem to have developed a big interest in nuclear energy.
Of course solar and renewables are still good enough for the peasants, it’s only the special people who need reliable energy for their all important profit making artificial intelligence projects.
Microsoft’s Solar Power Move: Lighting Up Singapore and India’s Future
ByJennifer L
August 30, 2024Microsoft is doubling down on its renewable energy commitments with groundbreaking deals in both Singapore and India. The company securred a 20-year agreement with Singapore’s largest SolarNova project and a significant green energy purchase from India’s ReNew Energy Global.
Shining Bright with Singapore’s SolarNova 8
The long-term contract will see Microsoft buying 100% of the renewable energy exported to the grid from the project, which is managed by EDP Renewables (EDPR).
The SolarNova 8 project is recognized as the largest solar initiative under Singapore’s SolarNova program. It aims to install solar panels on over 1,000 public housing blocks and more than 100 government-owned buildings. Together, they’ll collectively generate up to 200 megawatts (MW) of capacity.
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Read more: https://carboncredits.com/microsofts-solar-power-move-lighting-up-singapore-and-indias-future/
Perhaps I am being too harsh. Obviously companies like Microsoft plan to put 100% of their efforts into renewables, and another 100% of their effort into nuclear.
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