Google to power AI data centres via nuclear power amid climate change woes

Google anticipates using 500 megawatts of nuclear power to run its operations, as global concerns over climate change intensify amid rising electricity consumption from AI and crypto technologies

Tech giant Google has partnered with US-based Kairos Power to power its artificial intelligence (AI) data centres with nuclear energy, which will be sourced from multiple small modular reactors (SMRs) being developed by the power company.

“The initial phase of work is intended to bring Kairos Power’s first SMR online quickly and safely by 2030, followed by additional reactor deployments through 2035,” Google said in a press release.

Google expects the deal to help provide 500 megawatts of clean energy to US electricity grids. As the world is grappling with the effects of climate change, carbon emissions from AI and cryptocurrency technologies have significantly increased electricity consumption.

AI and crypto’s use of electricity 

According to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), these technologies now account for about 2 per cent of global electricity use and nearly 1 per cent of global emissions. Popularity of tools like ChatGPT is only adding to this carbon footprint as ChatGPT queries require 10 times more electricity than a Google search. 

The report predicted that crypto mining and AI data centres’ use of electricity is likely to climb to 3.5 per cent in three years.

Nuclear energy is considered an affordable alternative as a clean energy source, which works through the energy released during nuclear reactions involving atoms. Their use can be crucial for data centres, which require huge amounts of energy for the computing needs of artificial intelligence applications.

Google’s deal will have to be approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and law agencies before it can be implemented.

In June, the United Nations warned of an 80 per cent likelihood that global temperatures will temporarily exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold between 2024 and 2028, which is a key goal of the Paris Climate Agreement. In 2023, the global average near-surface temperature was 1.45 degrees Celsius. Failing to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius could have severe consequences, including more frequent droughts and flooding. Google announced the deal on Monday but did not disclose the amount.