Rockin' with Nuclear Power: Google Jumps into the Fray
American tech giant Google funds construction of three atomic energy plants within the United States
Tech titan, Google, known for its energy-guzzling AI applications, is teaming up with Elemental Power to finance the construction of three mega-watt nuclear power plants across the USA. With each plant boasting a minimum output of 600 megawatts, energy-hungry AI and American innovation are set to reap the benefits.
Amanda Peterson Corio, Google manager, sheds light on the strategic move, stating that nuclear power offers the reliable energy needed to fuel AI and drive American innovation. The first step? Finding the ideal locations to suit Google's colossal plans.
Artificial Intelligence demands hefty computational power and high-performance servers, often draining considerable energy reserves. Last year, Google signaled its intentions by partnering with Kairos, a start-up focused on building mini-nuclear reactors. The first of these power-packed gadgets are expected to go live by 2030.
The tech race is on! Contenders like Microsoft and Amazon are also diving head-first into nuclear power, with the former aiming to revive the dormant Three Mile Island nuclear reactor, and the latter focusing on the development of advanced mini-nuclear reactors.
Though nuclear power stations can be costly and politically complex, their key advantage lies in zero direct CO2 emissions. Google, with its pledge to attain carbon neutrality by 2030, is enthusiastically embracing this eco-friendly alternative.
[Sources]1. ntv.de2. AFP3.}__ Miscellaneous Information:
- The three nuclear power plants will likely be built at different locations in the U.S., with Elemental Power responsible for facilitating the required site selections.
- Google has the option to purchase power generated by the nuclear power plants once they are operational, a move designed to secure a stable and carbon-free energy supply for its increasing energy demands.
- The investment made by Google in nuclear power plants forms part of its broader strategy to explore a variety of energy sources to achieve its carbon neutrality goal, which includes renewable energy, battery storage, and carbon capture technologies.
- Google's community policy now involves financing the construction of nuclear power research and development programmes, aiming to establish three power plants across the USA, each generating a minimum of 600 megawatts.
- These nuclear power plants, with their minimal carbon footprints, align with Google's commitment to attain carbon neutrality by 2030, a goal driven by its AI applications' energy-intensive nature.
- Elemental Power is responsible for selecting locations for these colossal projects, ensuring they can accommodate Google's vast plans in the realm of mega-watt nuclear power production.
- In addition to partnering with Elemental Power, Google last year collaborated with Kairos, a startup focusing on mini-nuclear reactors, with the first of these innovations expected to go live by 2030.
- The tech industry's race for clean, reliable energy sources accelerates, as competitors like Microsoft and Amazon also explore nuclear power options, with Microsoft targeting the revival of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor and Amazon focusing on advanced mini-nuclear reactor development.
- To further its efforts in environmental-science, Google has also ventured into exploration of various energy sources, such as renewable energy, battery storage, and carbon capture technologies, aside from its investment in nuclear power programmes.
