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Why do you see data centers as "energy parasites"? They are basically the best customers of the grid possible - consistent high usage. This is an opportunity fo

by ianm218 5mo ago

Why do you see data centers as "energy parasites"? They are basically the best customers of the grid possible - consistent high usage. This is an opportunity for the US to pursue energy abundance and grow the economy. The only issues these cause is when states make it impossible to deploy more energy. Anti growth environmentalism is so toxic when we could just be pursuing wide spread clean energy and growth.

ceejayoz 5mo ago
> Why do you see data centers as "energy parasites"? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48123090 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48123090 > They are basically the best customers of the grid possible - consistent high usage. The grid exists to serve the populace. It's why we tend to call it a "public utility".
- ianm218 5mo ago
  That linked fortune article talks about how the Sierra Club is leading the charge on trying to stop those data centers. You know the same group that has opposes nuclear energy [1], largely opposes hydro power, opposes housing being built in California. We could have data centers, nuclear, and cheap housing if we threw out these negative sum thinkers from the common discourse. Anti growth is bad for everyone. [1]. https://www.sierraclub.org/nuclear-free https://www.sierraclub.org/nuclear-free
  - ceejayoz 5mo ago
    Oooh, the big scary powerful Sierra Club! What's their market cap, again?
skywhopper 5mo ago
This is a truly delusional take. A high-consumer that needs constant input provides zero benefits to its neighbors. If datacenter providers want to benefit the grid, they ought to build clean energy production sufficient for their needs and then some as a prerequisite for approval. That would be beneficial to everyone.
- ianm218 5mo ago
  The big Meta data center in Louisiana is paying $30 million property taxes to a county that is collects $22 million a year in taxes. It pays tons of money to the utility for power. Utilities should just build more generation to serve demand and everyone wins. The part of this that is broken is we’ve made it way too hard to spin up more power in this country. Growth can be good for everyone.

by ianm218 5mo ago

ceejayoz 5mo ago

> Why do you see data centers as "energy parasites"? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48123090 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48123090 > They are basically the best customers of the grid possible - consistent high usage. The grid exists to serve the populace. It's why we tend to call it a "public utility".

ianm218 5mo ago
That linked fortune article talks about how the Sierra Club is leading the charge on trying to stop those data centers. You know the same group that has opposes nuclear energy [1], largely opposes hydro power, opposes housing being built in California. We could have data centers, nuclear, and cheap housing if we threw out these negative sum thinkers from the common discourse. Anti growth is bad for everyone. [1]. https://www.sierraclub.org/nuclear-free https://www.sierraclub.org/nuclear-free
- ceejayoz 5mo ago
  Oooh, the big scary powerful Sierra Club! What's their market cap, again?

skywhopper 5mo ago

This is a truly delusional take. A high-consumer that needs constant input provides zero benefits to its neighbors. If datacenter providers want to benefit the grid, they ought to build clean energy production sufficient for their needs and then some as a prerequisite for approval. That would be beneficial to everyone.

ianm218 5mo ago
The big Meta data center in Louisiana is paying $30 million property taxes to a county that is collects $22 million a year in taxes. It pays tons of money to the utility for power. Utilities should just build more generation to serve demand and everyone wins. The part of this that is broken is we’ve made it way too hard to spin up more power in this country. Growth can be good for everyone.