6 ms·

We're building more data centers for a technology that's ramping global warming even faster. Water consumption, heat generation and tons and tons of CO2 emittin

We're building more data centers for a technology that's ramping global warming even faster. Water consumption, heat generation and tons and tons of CO2 emitting concrete to house these things. So we're doing something, but those things are counterproductive to our planet's general well being. Apparently billionaires don't need an inhabitable Earth to live on.

inigyou 2mo ago
DC water consumption is a red herring. That water is returned back to its source but warmer.
- windexh8er 2mo ago
  If you think that every data center is now a closed loop system enjoy your propaganda. Colossus 1 and 2 still use open loop systems. And with the case of blow down water that's "returned" it's not usable due to the use of concentrated salts (1,200 to 6,000 mg/L). In your mind this is a closed loop system of clean water. It is not. And as DCs have less and less discharge there is more and more solid waste produced. Your assertion that "water consumption is a red herring" is utter bull shit. I'd suggest enlightening yourself [0][1][2][3]. [0] https://genesiswatertech.com/blog-post/advanced-blowdown-treatment-technologies-for-data-center-water-recovery/ https://genesiswatertech.com/blog-post/advanced-blowdown-tre... [1] https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/TP121/how-data-centers-impact-surface-and-ground-waters/ https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/TP121/how-data... [2] https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.21760 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.21760 [3] https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/epa-writing-permits-could-let-182418731.html https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/epa-writing-perm...
  - dredmorbius 2mo ago
    <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48055532 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48055532>
    - windexh8er 2mo ago
      Unfounded comments that are nothing but a lie are OK. Yet, calling it out directly goes against the rules. In this case the response is warranted. Until people start to see what actually goes on in these data centers with respect to pollution (of many kinds) I don't have a problem being direct.
      - dredmorbius 2mo ago
        What the link I'd shared stated was "Please edit out swipes, as the site guidelines ask". It also states "Your comment would be fine without that ... bit." I frequently address poorly-founded comments myself. Just did immediately before this reply, see: <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49064763 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49064763> ( I'm doing so both staying within the guidelines and specifically calling out the idiocy displayed, though without relying on that particular word. Calling out Guidelines violations does not imply disagreement with what's been said otherwise. It is a call for more substantive participation, and probably strengthening your own arguments. You've been here long enough that all of this should be quite familiar to you. (I'm not a mod, which is why I'd initially linked a mod's own admonition.)
        windexh8er 2mo ago
        > You've been here long enough that all of this should be quite familiar to you. ... > (I'm not a mod, which is why I'd initially linked a mod's own admonition.) Maybe stay in your own lane then, I explained myself and the unfounded lie. My response, in my opinion, is warranted.
        dredmorbius 2mo ago
        Yes, the response is warranted. Appreciated even. The swipe ("I'd suggest enlightening yourself") is not.
  - jay_kyburz 2mo ago
    Yes, but they _could_ be a closed loop system if governments demanded it. And they should. The could, and should generate their own electricity as well. And perhaps even provide free power to the surrounding neighborhood to make up for the noise and inconvenience of having one nearby.
    - inigyou 2mo ago
      The xAI one does that, with the result of giving everyone in a several mile radius permanent asthma.
    - simmerup 2mo ago
      Have you seen that some of these things are so loud they’re damaging to health? But they’re loud at frequencies we can’t hear so it’s not easy to tell without specialised equipment
  - froggy 2mo ago
    Very interesting how your enlightening comments about dirty AI data centers are being downvoted. Pro-Musk, pro-AI bots and shills trying to keep the smoke screen going?
    - inigyou 2mo ago
      We don't have to make up false reasons why these things are bad. There are enough true reasons.
  - inigyou 2mo ago
    What happens to the water leaving Colossus 1 and 2?
- CGMthrowaway 2mo ago
  Yes, just like cow farts.
  - inigyou 2mo ago
    Cow burps are a significant contributor to global warming, like 10%. There are just so many damn cows and their digestive systems produce methane.
asats 2mo ago
Yeah, data-centers are definitely the worst thing happening to the planet. You got your priorities straight. AI data centers are what, half a percent of the world electricity consumption, if that, and an even smaller fraction of the total energy?
- dredmorbius 2mo ago
  Growth trend matters more than absolute present value. Data centres generally had been seeing energy use growing at 12% annually, or with a doubling time of 5.8 years (about 5 years 10 months). AI is accelerating that trend. In the United States, power consumption by data centres is on course to account for almost half of the growth in electricity demand between now and 2030. Driven by AI use, the US economy is set to consume more electricity in 2030 for processing data than for manufacturing all energy-intensive goods combined, including aluminium, steel, cement and chemicals. In advanced economies more broadly, data centres are projected to drive more than 20% of the growth in electricity demand between now and 2030, putting the power sector in those economies back on a growth footing after years of stagnating or declining demand in many of them. <https://www.iea.org/news/ai-is-set-to-drive-surging-electricity-demand-from-data-centres-while-offering-the-potential-to-transform-how-the-energy-sector-works https://www.iea.org/news/ai-is-set-to-drive-surging-electric...>
  - asats 2mo ago
    >or with a doubling time of 5.8 years So that in ~6 years they will account for 1%, and still a fraction of the percent of the world total energy use?
    - dredmorbius 2mo ago
      Modulo, as noted, AI is accelerating that trend.
    - myaccountonhn 2mo ago
      1% is a lot.
    - 2mo ago

inigyou 2mo ago

DC water consumption is a red herring. That water is returned back to its source but warmer.

windexh8er 2mo ago
If you think that every data center is now a closed loop system enjoy your propaganda. Colossus 1 and 2 still use open loop systems. And with the case of blow down water that's "returned" it's not usable due to the use of concentrated salts (1,200 to 6,000 mg/L). In your mind this is a closed loop system of clean water. It is not. And as DCs have less and less discharge there is more and more solid waste produced. Your assertion that "water consumption is a red herring" is utter bull shit. I'd suggest enlightening yourself [0][1][2][3]. [0] https://genesiswatertech.com/blog-post/advanced-blowdown-treatment-technologies-for-data-center-water-recovery/ https://genesiswatertech.com/blog-post/advanced-blowdown-tre... [1] https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/TP121/how-data-centers-impact-surface-and-ground-waters/ https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/TP121/how-data... [2] https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.21760 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.21760 [3] https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/epa-writing-permits-could-let-182418731.html https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/epa-writing-perm...
- dredmorbius 2mo ago
  <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48055532 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48055532>
  - windexh8er 2mo ago
    Unfounded comments that are nothing but a lie are OK. Yet, calling it out directly goes against the rules. In this case the response is warranted. Until people start to see what actually goes on in these data centers with respect to pollution (of many kinds) I don't have a problem being direct.
    - dredmorbius 2mo ago
      What the link I'd shared stated was "Please edit out swipes, as the site guidelines ask". It also states "Your comment would be fine without that ... bit." I frequently address poorly-founded comments myself. Just did immediately before this reply, see: <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49064763 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49064763> ( I'm doing so both staying within the guidelines and specifically calling out the idiocy displayed, though without relying on that particular word. Calling out Guidelines violations does not imply disagreement with what's been said otherwise. It is a call for more substantive participation, and probably strengthening your own arguments. You've been here long enough that all of this should be quite familiar to you. (I'm not a mod, which is why I'd initially linked a mod's own admonition.)
      - windexh8er 2mo ago
        > You've been here long enough that all of this should be quite familiar to you. ... > (I'm not a mod, which is why I'd initially linked a mod's own admonition.) Maybe stay in your own lane then, I explained myself and the unfounded lie. My response, in my opinion, is warranted.
        dredmorbius 2mo ago
        Yes, the response is warranted. Appreciated even. The swipe ("I'd suggest enlightening yourself") is not.
- jay_kyburz 2mo ago
  Yes, but they _could_ be a closed loop system if governments demanded it. And they should. The could, and should generate their own electricity as well. And perhaps even provide free power to the surrounding neighborhood to make up for the noise and inconvenience of having one nearby.
  - inigyou 2mo ago
    The xAI one does that, with the result of giving everyone in a several mile radius permanent asthma.
  - simmerup 2mo ago
    Have you seen that some of these things are so loud they’re damaging to health? But they’re loud at frequencies we can’t hear so it’s not easy to tell without specialised equipment
- froggy 2mo ago
  Very interesting how your enlightening comments about dirty AI data centers are being downvoted. Pro-Musk, pro-AI bots and shills trying to keep the smoke screen going?
  - inigyou 2mo ago
    We don't have to make up false reasons why these things are bad. There are enough true reasons.
- inigyou 2mo ago
  What happens to the water leaving Colossus 1 and 2?
CGMthrowaway 2mo ago
Yes, just like cow farts.
- inigyou 2mo ago
  Cow burps are a significant contributor to global warming, like 10%. There are just so many damn cows and their digestive systems produce methane.

asats 2mo ago

Yeah, data-centers are definitely the worst thing happening to the planet. You got your priorities straight. AI data centers are what, half a percent of the world electricity consumption, if that, and an even smaller fraction of the total energy?

dredmorbius 2mo ago
Growth trend matters more than absolute present value. Data centres generally had been seeing energy use growing at 12% annually, or with a doubling time of 5.8 years (about 5 years 10 months). AI is accelerating that trend. In the United States, power consumption by data centres is on course to account for almost half of the growth in electricity demand between now and 2030. Driven by AI use, the US economy is set to consume more electricity in 2030 for processing data than for manufacturing all energy-intensive goods combined, including aluminium, steel, cement and chemicals. In advanced economies more broadly, data centres are projected to drive more than 20% of the growth in electricity demand between now and 2030, putting the power sector in those economies back on a growth footing after years of stagnating or declining demand in many of them. <https://www.iea.org/news/ai-is-set-to-drive-surging-electricity-demand-from-data-centres-while-offering-the-potential-to-transform-how-the-energy-sector-works https://www.iea.org/news/ai-is-set-to-drive-surging-electric...>
- asats 2mo ago
  >or with a doubling time of 5.8 years So that in ~6 years they will account for 1%, and still a fraction of the percent of the world total energy use?
  - dredmorbius 2mo ago
    Modulo, as noted, AI is accelerating that trend.
  - myaccountonhn 2mo ago
    1% is a lot.
  - 2mo ago