Where the Internet Lives Four: A Quest for 24/7 Clean Energy
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Dec 10, 2020 John Kumi, an independent researcher and former Stanford educator, dives into the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions within the data center industry. He discusses the alarming rise in energy demands and how major tech companies are setting ambitious goals for carbon-free energy. Kumi highlights groundbreaking innovations, like AI-driven cooling technologies and advanced energy management that optimize performance. He emphasizes the critical path toward achieving 24/7 clean energy, showcasing collaborative efforts to mitigate climate change.
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Early Data Center Energy Mythbusting
- John Kumi got rare access to a data center in the 1990s to measure its real energy use.
- They found it was 25 watts per square foot, not the wildly exaggerated 300 watts claimed by others.
Rapid Energy Growth Sparks Concern
- Data center electricity use doubled in the U.S. between 2000 and 2005 despite efficiency gains.
- This rapid growth signaled the urgent need for industry action on energy consumption and emissions.
Doubling Solar Output With Cleaning
- Winnie Lamb discovered Google's solar panels produced twice as much energy after washing them more often.
- This simple fix showcased early scrappy optimization attitudes at Google.