Another report warning on the major rise in AI & related Data...

Another report warning on the major rise in AI & related Data Centres' growth- which will necessitate them using FAR more power.
How will this major increase in concomitant electricty demand be generated? Almost certainly, in many countries, much more net gas & thermal coal power, IMO, will be required.

bbc.com 23.3.24 (referring to the UK grid) said

"The boom in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing will drive a spike in energy use, the National Grid has predicted.

Both rely on data centres - warehouses full of computer systems.

Chief executive John Pettigrew said the power those data centres use would increase SIX-FOLD in the next DECADE (my emphases).

He said the grid was becoming "constrained" and "bold action" was needed to create a network able to cope with "dramatically" growing demand.

"Future growth in foundational technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing will mean larger scale, energy-intensive computing infrastructure," Mr Pettigrew said...

The National Grid boss said in a speech on Tuesday,shared on LinkedIn, that now was "a pivotal moment" for grid transformation - with rising demand for energy-hungry technologies and more people opting for heat pumps or electric cars.

"Today, just like in the 1950s, we find ourselves with a network that's constrained," he said.

"Demand on the grid is growing dramatically, and forecast to DOUBLE (my emphasis) by 2050 as heat, transport and industry continue to electrify."

Data centre power use 'to surge six-fold in 10 years' (bbc.com)