Technology company, developer of the data center and energy supply company panic during the break of Injize Demanded demand for electricity in the United States in the face of an unprecedented growth of AI.
In the middle of all the manual, a New paper Publishes this week indicates that the situation may not be that bad if the operators of the data center and other strong electricity users restrict their use so slightly.
By limiting the power from the network to 90% of the maximum for a few hours – for a total of about one day a year – new users could unlock 76 gigawatt capacity in the USA. This is more than all data centers worldwide, after To Goldman Sachs. In order to put this number in the right light, it is about 10% of the top of the top in the United States
If data centers restricted their use more, they could increasingly unlock more capacity.
Such programs are not exactly new.
For decades, the supply companies have been encouraging large electricity users such as shopping centers, universities and factories to restrict their use when demand reaches its peak and on hot summer days. These users can reject the air conditioning system or switch down thirsty machines for a few hours, and in return the supply company gives you recognition for your invoice.
Data centers have largely been on the side and instead decided to maintain the operating and performance levels for their customers. The study argues that data centers could be ideal participants in the demand metering because they have the potential to be flexible.
There are some options for how data centers can cut off their electricity consumption, the study says. One is a temporal flexibility or postponement of computer tasks in times of lower demand. The AI model training, for example, could easily be resolved to take a short restriction.
Another is spatial flexibility in which companies shift their computing tasks to other regions in which no high demand occurs. The operators can also consolidate loads with data centers and switch part of their servers.
And if tasks are complex and cannot be delayed or moved, the operators of the data center can contact alternative power sources at any time in order to compensate for a reduction. Batteries are ideal for this, since even modest installations can deliver electricity almost immediately.
Some companies have already participated in AD -HOC versions.
Google has used its computer platform, which was originally developed for the separation of emissions. to activate Requirement reaction. Enel X worked with data centers Tap the batteries in their uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to stabilize the network. And PG & E offers to connect data centers to the network faster if the operators agree to participate in a response program.
These improvements will not fully remove the need for new power sources. But they could turn a potentially catastrophic situation – in that Half of all new KI servers Are undermuts – in one that is easier to solve.
