Picking the Data Center can unlock 76 GW new power capacity in the United States

Technical Companies, Data Data Developers and Electricity Panic Panic for the Perspective of Avoiding search For electricity in the United States over unprecedented growth in AI.

Against the background of the whole hand of the hand, a New paper Published this week suggests that the situation may not be so terrible if operators of the data center and other heavy electricity users limit their use still light.

By limiting the power, withdrawing from the network to 90% of the maximum in a few hours at a time – for a total of about a day – new users can unlock 76 gigs of capacity in the United States. This is more than all data centers use globally, According to to Goldman Sachs. To put this number in perspective, this is about 10% of the peak search in the United States

If the data centers had to limit their use more, they could unlock more capacity progressively.

Such programs are not exactly new.

For decades, utility services have encouraged large electricity users such as shopping malls, universities and factories to limit their use when demand for peaks, like hot summer days. These users can refuse the air conditioner or exclude thirsty machines for several hours, and in return the usefulness gives them credit to their account.

Data centers have largely sat on the sidelines, instead chose to maintain the levels of time and performance of their customers. The study claims that data centers can be ideal participants in response to demand as they have the potential to be flexible.

There are several ways in which data centers can cut off their power, the study said. One is temporal flexibility or transfer of computing tasks to times of less demand. AI Model training, for example, could easily be deferred to comply with a short restriction.

Another is the spatial flexibility in which companies transfer their computing tasks to other regions that do not have high demand. Even with data centers, operators can consolidate loads and exclude some of their servers.

And if the tasks are critical to the mission and cannot be delayed or displaced, the operators of the data center can always turn to alternative energy sources to compensate for any restrictions. Batteries are ideally suited to this as even modest installations can provide several hours of power almost instantaneously.

Some companies have already participated in AD HOC versions.

Google uses its computer platform for carbon-consciously, originally designed to trim the emissions, In order to activate A response to the search. ENEL X has worked with data centers to Tap the batteries in their continuous power supply (UPS) to stabilize the network. And PG & E offers to connect more quickly to network data if operators agree to participate in a demand response program.

These sanctions will not completely eliminate the need for new sources of power. But they can turn a potentially catastrophic situation – in which Half of all new AI servers are insufficient – in one that is more easily resolved.