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I do realize that and I still don't get how doing computation is supposed to increase the energy efficiency of heating. Are you trying to reduce wasted energy w

I do realize that and I still don't get how doing computation is supposed to increase the energy efficiency of heating. Are you trying to reduce wasted energy while heating by diverting it to computation, or are you trying to avoid wasted energy in computing by utilizing the otherwise-wasted heat? It seems like you're optimizing the cost efficiency of computation while claiming it improves the energy efficiency of heating...

foota 7y ago
Computing is heating, but with benefits, to a rough approximation. The components inside the computer do something with the electricity, which results in it being turned into heat. So by doing useful computing and using the created heat as a result for heating something, you've effectively made the heating free, to the degree you can use the computing for something useful.
- mehrdadn 7y ago
  OK, I think I see why we're seeing this differently. The only way this actually saves energy (instead of merely money) is if, later in the future, you would've actually wasted the heat that would've be produced if your initial goal had been computation. In that case, yes, it's true that doing the computation now and using it for heat is better. My assumption was that you would be already using any heat you generate from computation for heating regardless, so it didn't make sense to me that, in other situations where your goal is only heating, adding computation to the problem would save any energy. (Sorry this is complicated to explain, I hope it makes sense. Regardless, I get your point.)
  - foota 7y ago
    No, that makes sense, thanks for elaborating :) In theory, you could take the money gained through the computing and devote some of the profits to generating sustainable energy. Note though, I'm not really convinced that the economics work out here with: a. how much more efficient data centers are b. how quickly anything like this would lose value c. the setup and connection costs

foota 7y ago

Computing is heating, but with benefits, to a rough approximation. The components inside the computer do something with the electricity, which results in it being turned into heat. So by doing useful computing and using the created heat as a result for heating something, you've effectively made the heating free, to the degree you can use the computing for something useful.

mehrdadn 7y ago
OK, I think I see why we're seeing this differently. The only way this actually saves energy (instead of merely money) is if, later in the future, you would've actually wasted the heat that would've be produced if your initial goal had been computation. In that case, yes, it's true that doing the computation now and using it for heat is better. My assumption was that you would be already using any heat you generate from computation for heating regardless, so it didn't make sense to me that, in other situations where your goal is only heating, adding computation to the problem would save any energy. (Sorry this is complicated to explain, I hope it makes sense. Regardless, I get your point.)
- foota 7y ago
  No, that makes sense, thanks for elaborating :) In theory, you could take the money gained through the computing and devote some of the profits to generating sustainable energy. Note though, I'm not really convinced that the economics work out here with: a. how much more efficient data centers are b. how quickly anything like this would lose value c. the setup and connection costs