It's Been a Minute How AI impacts the environment (and your energy bill)
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Sep 29, 2025 Evan Halper, a business and energy reporter for The Washington Post, dives into the surprising impact of AI on the environment and energy bills. He reveals how demand for data centers is driving up energy costs and potentially harming local communities. The discussion highlights the trade-offs of repurposing old coal sites for tech infrastructure and questions the authenticity of claims about clean energy usage. Evan also explores the implications for climate goals, urging listeners to weigh the benefits and costs of AI in their daily lives.
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AI Demands Immense Power And Space
- AI development requires massive, continuous power and large physical space for chips and servers.
- Hyperscale data centers can consume more energy than entire cities and must run 24/7.
Old Power Plants Reborn For AI
- Data centers seek reliable power and sometimes revive retiring fossil fuel plants or add gas generators.
- Companies sometimes build on old coal plant sites and add gas plants to supply continuous power.
Omaha Example: Clean Energy Purchases Don’t Equal Local Cleanups
- In Omaha, tech companies bought clean energy far away while local coal plants kept running longer than planned.
- That prolonged pollution affected a frontline community fighting to close the plant.