As the buildout of data centers in the United States accelerates, developers are often targeting remote locations where land availability is high. Off-grid solar paired with batteries offers an opp…
The additionallity of it does point towards yes. And, while I am no fan of data centers, they still benefit the renewable energy learning curve. For those unaware, for everytime we double the number of solar panels produced in the world, the cost falls roughly 20% per watt. If Jeff Bezos bought a billion panels and threw them away, it would still result in solar panels being cheaper down the line
Plus, if the demand for these AI datacenters were to suddenly decline, utilities could probably buy the excess energy. Or just buy fields outright. It’s public benefit from private up-front investment. Not the worst path to get to the desired outcome.
The 10 people who will still have cable TV in 10 years will be seeing commercials that say “do you own a home? Buy these data center solar panels! They’re half a the price of a new panel, and only 7 years old. Installation is free!”
The additionallity of it does point towards yes. And, while I am no fan of data centers, they still benefit the renewable energy learning curve. For those unaware, for everytime we double the number of solar panels produced in the world, the cost falls roughly 20% per watt. If Jeff Bezos bought a billion panels and threw them away, it would still result in solar panels being cheaper down the line
Plus, if the demand for these AI datacenters were to suddenly decline, utilities could probably buy the excess energy. Or just buy fields outright. It’s public benefit from private up-front investment. Not the worst path to get to the desired outcome.
The 10 people who will still have cable TV in 10 years will be seeing commercials that say “do you own a home? Buy these data center solar panels! They’re half a the price of a new panel, and only 7 years old. Installation is free!”
This would be an excellent outcome.