Greenpeace report How Clean is Your Cloud? I saw mentioned in 3T magazine news is actually quite interesting reading. This year’s report provides a look at the energy choices some of the largest and fastest growing IT companies. The report analyzes the 14 IT companies and the electricity supply chain in more than 80 data center cases.
The report contains also lots of interesting background information on both IT and telecom energy consumption. I recommend checking it out. Here are some points picked from How Clean is Your Cloud? report:
Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo – these global brands and a host of other IT companies are rapidly and fundamentally transforming the way in which we work, communicate, watch movies or TV, listen to music, and share pictures through “the cloud.”
The growth and scale of investment in the cloud is truly mind-blowing, with estimates of a 50-fold increase in the amount of digital information by 2020 and nearly half a trillion in investment in the coming year, all to create and feed our desire for ubiquitous access to infinite information from our computers, phones and other mobile devices, instantly.
The engine that drives the cloud is the data center. Data centers are the factories of the 21st century information age, containing thousands of computers that store and manage our rapidly growing collection of data for consumption at a moment’s notice. Given the energy-intensive nature of maintaining the cloud, access to significant amounts of electricity is a key factor in decisions about where to build these data centers. Industry leaders estimate nearly $450bn US dollars is being spent annually on new data center space.
Since electricity plays a critical role in the cost structure of companies that use the cloud, there have been dramatic strides made in improving the energy efficiency design of the facilities and the thousands of computers that go inside. However, despite significant improvements in efficiency, the exponential growth in cloud computing far outstrips these energy savings.
How much energy is required to power the ever-expanding online world? What percentage of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is attributable to the IT sector? Answers to these questions are very difficult to obtain with any degree of precision, partially due to the sector’s explosive growth, a wide range of devices and energy sources, and rapidly changing technology and business models. The estimates of the IT sector’s carbon footprint performed to date have varied widely in their methodology and scope. One of the most recognized estimates of the IT sector’s footprint was conducted as part of the 2008 SMART 2020 study, which established that the sector is responsible for 2% of global GHG emissions.
The combined electricity demand of the internet/cloud (data centers and telecommunications network) globally in 2007 was approximately 623bn kWh (if the cloud were a country, it would have the fifth largest electricity demand in the world). Based on current projections, the demand for electricity will more than triple to 1,973bn kWh (an amount greater than combined total demand of France, Germany, Canada and Brazil).
The report indicates that, due to the economic downturn and continued energy efficiency and performance improvements, global energy demand from data centers from 2005-2010 increased by 56%. Estimates of data center electricity demand come in at 31GW globally, with an increase of 19% in 2012 alone. At the same time global electricity consumption is otherwise essentially flat due to the global recession is still a staggering rate of growth.
Given the scale of predicted growth, the source of electricity must be factored into a meaningful definition of “green IT”. Energy efficiency alone will, at best, slow the growth of the sector’s footprint. The replacement of dirty sources of electricity with clean renewable sources is still the crucial missing link in the sector’s sustainability efforts according to the report.
The global telecoms sector is also growing rapidly. Rapid growth in use of smart phones and broadband mobile connections mean mobile data traffic in 2011 was eight times the size of the entire internet in 2000. It is estimated that global mobile data traffic grew 133% in 2011, with 597 petabytes of data sent by mobiles every month. In 2011, it is estimated that 6 billion people or 86.7% of the entire global population have mobile telephone subscriptions. By the end of 2012, the number of mobile connected devices is expected to exceed the global population. Electronic devices and the rapidly growing cloud that supports our demand for greater online access are clearly a significant force in driving global energy demand.
What about telecoms in the developing and newly industrialized countries? The report has some details from India (by the way it is expected that India will pass China to become the world’s largest mobile market in terms of subscriptions in 2012). Much of the growth in the Indian telecom sector is from India’s rural and semi-urban areas. By 2012, India is likely to have 200 million rural telecom connections at a penetration rate of 25%. Out of the existing 400,000 mobile towers, over 70% exist in rural and semi-urban areas where either grid-connected electricity is not available or the electricity supply is irregular. As a result, mobile towers and, increasingly, grid-connected towers in these areas rely on diesel generators to power their network operations. The consumption of diesel by the telecoms sector currently stands at a staggering 3bn liters annually, second only to the railways in India.
What is the case on other developing and newly industrialized countries? I don’t actually know.
NOTE: Please note that that many figures given on the report are just estimates based on quite little actual data, so they might be somewhat off the actual figures. Given the source of the report I would quess that if the figures are off, they are most probably off to direction so that the environmental effect looks bigger than it actually is.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
“Unless governments and regulators insist on a rapid phaseout, we will face a new tidal wave of forever chemicals.” https://trib.al/unhEULZ
You Call That Slop?
Data Centers Are Causing a Huge Surge in Incredibly Toxic Chemicals Polluting the World
“Data centers create problems that don’t stop at municipal boundaries, whether it’s pollution or straining the grid and driving up everyone’s electric bills.”
https://futurism.com/science-energy/data-centers-surge-toxic-chemical-spill-pollution-pfas?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUXo5hjbGNrBRejh3Bkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeYuUYIMcG6ZhwTvZ9QoOp451zWJl9gDVCuXGiJ9mGILPmXyDAlfcSjFkHu5E_aem_K-tbmlTnJWit4pvTJo_HgQ
Data centers don’t just undergird the avalanche of AI slop polluting our social media feeds — they’re spewing an awful lot of physical slop as well.
On top of the noxious air pollution, as well as the occasionally bacteria-laden wastewater discharge, data centers are responsible for a rising tide of forever chemicals, artificial substances which never degrade naturally.
According to new reporting by The Guardian, nearly all of the top ten global producers of forever chemicals, otherwise known as polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, plan to ramp up production quotas on the back of the data center boom.
There’s a clear market demand for this: PFAS play a huge role in data center construction, where they’re used in cooling systems, AI chips, circuit boards, and fire suppression systems — not to mention the coating on thousands of miles of cables used to connect these components together.
‘Tidal wave’ of Pfas being launched to satisfy AI industry, campaigners warn
Big manufacturers planning to produce more of the forever chemicals to meet demand from datacentres
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/14/pfas-firms-tidal-wave-forever-chemicals-ai-industry-demand-datacentres?fbclid=IwVERDUAUXo_RwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHtbKdH2P375HIBQE4Ms39nMfzryGC8oxqYuQukN7PhPEha2IQkDFdr7Wdmu-_aem_Bk6RiorjHxLhlaKo6bp_-A
Pfas companies are launching a “tidal wave” of forever chemicals production to meet demand from the AI industry, a campaign organisation has warned.
Despite alarm over the chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, a survey of the 10 biggest manufacturers found most had plans to increase production.
Many frame their investments around the “AI revolution”, because of the role Pfas play in semiconductor production and next-generation datacentre cooling systems.
But opponents warn that the chemicals, which never degrade in nature, are a ticking timebomb for human and planetary health. They say increased production risks undermining nascent moves to restrict Pfas in Europe, the UK and parts of the US.
“These companies’ expansion plans show that unless governments and regulators insist on a rapid phaseout, we will face a new tidal wave of forever chemicals,” said Anne-Sofie Bäckar, the executive director of ChemSec, the Swedish chemicals watchdog that carried out the research.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19WeHebior/
The cloud is going nuclear, and that’s a good thing. Data center operators, facing the need for clean, firm, 24/7 power, are investing heavily in nuclear energy. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have all announced deals or investments in nuclear projects, including small modular reactors (SMRs). Amazon is backing X‑energy, a developer of advanced SMRs, and Microsoft has signed a deal with Constellation Energy to power its data centers with nuclear. The total investment exceeds $1 billion. Nuclear offers what solar and wind cannot: continuous, carbon‑free baseload power, unaffected by weather. For data centers that must run 24/7, nuclear is the perfect complement to renewables. The new generation of SMRs is designed to be safer, cheaper, and faster to deploy. The data center that hosts your cloud storage could soon be powered by a reactor the size of a shipping container. The cloud is becoming the nuclear industry’s biggest customer, and that’s accelerating the clean energy transition. #nucleardatacenter #SMR #cleanpower #datacenterenergy #nuclearrenaissance
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19FqbBkLct/
The explosive growth of AI is creating an environmental challenge that extends far beyond the computers themselves.
AI models require increasingly powerful servers, and those servers operate inside data centers that consume large quantities of electricity. Where that electricity comes from can have a major effect on associated greenhouse-gas emissions.
Researchers are also examining the water and land footprints associated with AI infrastructure. A 2026 review in Nature Reviews Clean Technology identified growing concerns over greenhouse-gas emissions, pressure on power grids and freshwater resources as AI data centers expand.
The United Nations University has similarly warned that AI’s environmental footprint includes energy, water and land, with global data-center electricity demand associated with AI projected to grow substantially by 2030.
Importantly, AI’s environmental impact is not predetermined. More efficient chips, renewable electricity, advanced cooling, better data-center design and improved grid planning can significantly reduce the footprint.
The central question is becoming whether the AI industry can grow fast enough to meet demand while decoupling that growth from rising environmental damage.
#AI #DataCenters #ClimateChange #CleanEnergy #Sustainability
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EXAUVwrrM/
The data center that uses no water at all. Microsoft’s new data center region in Sweden is the first in the industry to use zero‑water cooling. Instead of evaporative cooling or water chillers, the facility uses outside air and direct expansion cooling, eliminating water consumption entirely. This is critical in a world facing increasing water scarcity. The data centers are also powered by 100% renewable energy, sourced from Swedish wind and hydro, and Microsoft has committed to matching its consumption on an hourly basis. The facility is a model for sustainable data center design, proving that large‑scale computing can operate with minimal environmental impact. Sweden’s cool climate makes zero‑water cooling feasible, and Microsoft is now applying the lessons learned to other regions. The server that stores your files is now cooled by the Swedish breeze, not by water. The data center that once consumed millions of gallons of water now consumes none. The future of computing is water‑free. #zerowatercooling #microsoftsweden #datacenter #cleancomputing #sustainableinfrastructure
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Environmental Protection Agency announced that it will roll back emissions limits on coal- and gas-fired power plants — one of the Trump administration’s most significant moves yet to undo the climate policies enacted under Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
The change would overturn a 2024 rule requiring power plants to use carbon sequestration equipment to control pollution; it was one of the biggest climate change rules implemented by the Biden administration’s EPA.
The agency also proposed eliminating all other greenhouse gas emissions rules, arguing that under the Clean Air Act, it doesn’t have the authority to regulate those emissions as they pertain to climate change.
Read more: nbcnews.to/3UIdUfr
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DCTPbhqEe/
The water used to cool a data center may be only the visible part of its true water footprint.
When companies discuss water consumption, attention often centers on what is used directly inside the facility. But data centers require enormous amounts of electricity—and many power plants also consume water while producing that electricity.
A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report estimated that U.S. data centers directly consumed about 17 billion gallons of water in 2023. The electricity supplying them was associated with roughly 211 billion gallons of additional water consumption—more than 12 times the on-site amount.
That hidden footprint varies dramatically with the source of electricity. Wind and solar photovoltaic power generally consume very little water during operation. Nuclear, coal and natural-gas power plants can have substantially larger water requirements, particularly when they depend on water-intensive cooling systems.
This matters in water-stressed regions such as Texas and New Mexico, where AI infrastructure is expanding alongside existing agricultural, residential and industrial demand.
One prominent example is Project Jupiter, a huge AI data-center campus under construction in southern New Mexico. Oracle is its tenant, and the project is associated with OpenAI’s Stargate infrastructure. Oracle says a closed-loop cooling system will require an initial fill but very little water afterward. That means the national 12-to-1 estimate should not be applied automatically to this individual project.
However, low on-site water use does not necessarily mean a low total footprint. The water associated with producing a facility’s electricity must also be considered—and that number depends on exactly how its power is generated.
For communities deciding whether they have enough water to support farms, homes and new AI facilities, partial reporting is not enough. Understanding the full impact requires counting both the water used inside the building and the less-visible water used to keep its electricity flowing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ScffmcJcz/
Europe is increasingly treating data-center waste heat as a potential energy resource rather than simply something to discharge into the environment. Under the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, data centers with more than 1 MW of rated energy input are required to utilize waste heat or other recovery applications unless technical or economic feasibility prevents it.
That distinction is important: the rules do not simply require every data center to pipe its heat directly into nearby homes. They require consideration and utilization where feasible, including connections to district heating systems.
The idea is becoming increasingly relevant as AI and cloud computing push electricity consumption in data centers higher. Much of that electricity eventually becomes heat, creating a potentially valuable secondary energy stream.
Finland is already demonstrating what this can look like in practice, with Microsoft’s data-center projects designed to feed recovered heat into district heating networks.
The broader concept is simple: if communities need heat while data centers need cooling, connecting the two could turn an unavoidable byproduct into useful infrastructure.
#DataCenters #WasteHeat #EnergyEfficiency #AIInfrastructure #CleanEnergy
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.scrippsnews.com/the-price-of-data/how-much-water-do-data-centers-really-use-heres-what-we-learned-from-public-records?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUYYzVjbGNrBRhi_HBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEexqYuQ93ZnKFxXkuiDLKbrTUP2K6voABtG8v84yi3-5ae5V4ZE3RWQZlAXTI_aem_uCGqZJ9OL95R4h4D0THECA
Tomi Engdahl says:
The AI land panic is wildly out of proportion.
By 2030, the land footprint of every data center in America, plus the land around the buildings, is expected to be about the size of Rhode Island.
Meanwhile, corn grown for ethanol occupies an area about the size of New York State—all for a fuel that is probably dirtier than the gasoline it replaces.
Read more: https://humanprogress.org/the-ai-land-and-water-panic-is-wrong/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/8-everyday-things-would-quit-working-without-data-centers
Tomi Engdahl says:
To put that single AI-generated Facebook post into physical perspective:
Energy (0.0046 kWh): Equivalent to running an efficient LED lightbulb for about 30 minutes, or charging a smartphone from 0% to about 40–50%.
Water (12 mL): Equivalent to less than one tablespoon of water (or roughly 1/20th of a standard 250mL drinking glass).
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FHr46Dqej/
People lived centuries without data centers, but now both are competing for the same rivers.
Every time you use artificial intelligence, massive data centers are working hard in the background. Because these powerful machines run incredibly hot, facilities use millions of gallons of fresh water to keep them cool. Surprisingly, nearly half of these buildings are located in areas already struggling with severe water shortages today.
#photography #ArtificialIntelligence #WaterConservation
References:
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy:The growing competition between data centers and local clean water sources.
Fortune Magazine:How AI data centers are consuming local water supplies across America.
Reuters News:Environmental impact of artificial intelligence and water usage in tech facilities.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19iJ78Q7kd/
China just powered a desalination plant from nuclear energy at commercial scale — connecting the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant’s fourth reactor to a dedicated 100,000 cubic metre per day seawater desalination facility, making it the largest nuclear-powered desalination plant on earth and providing drinking water to 500,000 Jiangsu Province residents from Yellow Sea seawater with zero fossil fuel at any stage.
The Tianwan Nuclear Desalination Project Phase 1, developed by China National Nuclear Corporation and Jiangsu Zhongde Desalination, uses low-pressure steam from the Tianwan-4 reactor’s secondary circuit — heat that would otherwise be rejected through cooling towers — to drive multi-effect distillation desalination units that evaporate seawater through a series of decreasing-pressure chambers, condensing fresh water from the vapour in each stage and producing 100,000 cubic metres of drinking water daily at a marginal energy cost approaching zero because the driving heat is waste from power generation.
The nuclear desalination economics are transformative for coastal water security. Conventional reverse osmosis desalination requires 3 to 5 kilowatt-hours of electricity per cubic metre — a significant operating cost at commercial scale. Multi-effect distillation driven by nuclear waste heat requires only 0.3 kilowatt-hours of electricity per cubic metre for pumping and instrumentation, reducing operating cost by 85% compared to electrically driven desalination.
China’s coastal provinces — home to 600 million people — face water stress that groundwater overextraction has converted from seasonal scarcity to structural deficit. Nuclear desalination provides an inexhaustible coastal water supply from the Yellow and East China Seas using energy already generated for the grid.
China waters its cities from the sea using reactor waste heat. The Yellow Sea becomes a freshwater source.
Source: China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) & Jiangsu Zhongde Desalination, 2024