For what it’s worth many data centers include their own power generation. Would be a boon for modular nuclear reactors if they were ready and if the us wasn’t so shy about nuclear. I wonder if other countries are having this issue? Like is there a big pushback to data centers in china, India, UAE, or Singapore? If not then what’s the difference and how are they managing data center development?
Kevin’s data center is going to run on natural gas generators in a valley which already suffers from horrible inversions every year. The Wasatch front valley has some of the worst air quality in the world during the winter.
Nuclear is too expensive for the capitalists building these. They’d rather pollute than pay more money for nuclear.
In this case I’m referring to the Wonder Valley AI data centre campus just to be clear since I wasn’t in OP, it’s proposed for northwestern Alberta, Canada. Near Grande Prairie. He’s got multiple on the go.
Man modular nuclear would be so good right now, in some cases we could even drop them into decommissioned gas and coal plants aka use the heat exchanger and turbines. Within reason it would be nice to see them fast tracked for this.
The small size isn’t specifically what is intended to make SMRs cheap; it’s the reproducibility. Not every location will be suitable for gigawatt scale reactors, but smaller reactors, made of components you can throw on a rail car, will bring cost down as production scales up. And there would likely be more reactors built, since there’s more flexibility in application.
I would take carbon free electricity over cheaper electricity any day, but yes those with the money buying power generation want primarily the cheapest energy.
Large nuclear reactors scare VC with large upside cost and delayed construction so they don’t get built. Known and tested SMR’s pretty much have that covered. I’ll accept clean energy over cheaper.
For what it’s worth many data centers include their own power generation. Would be a boon for modular nuclear reactors if they were ready and if the us wasn’t so shy about nuclear. I wonder if other countries are having this issue? Like is there a big pushback to data centers in china, India, UAE, or Singapore? If not then what’s the difference and how are they managing data center development?
Kevin’s data center is going to run on natural gas generators in a valley which already suffers from horrible inversions every year. The Wasatch front valley has some of the worst air quality in the world during the winter.
Nuclear is too expensive for the capitalists building these. They’d rather pollute than pay more money for nuclear.
In this case I’m referring to the Wonder Valley AI data centre campus just to be clear since I wasn’t in OP, it’s proposed for northwestern Alberta, Canada. Near Grande Prairie. He’s got multiple on the go.
Yea, they are reopening shut down gas and coal plants, so it’s even fucking worse
Man modular nuclear would be so good right now, in some cases we could even drop them into decommissioned gas and coal plants aka use the heat exchanger and turbines. Within reason it would be nice to see them fast tracked for this.
I think the small modular reactor concept is overdone. Small doesn’t mean cheap, and cheap is what we want.
The small size isn’t specifically what is intended to make SMRs cheap; it’s the reproducibility. Not every location will be suitable for gigawatt scale reactors, but smaller reactors, made of components you can throw on a rail car, will bring cost down as production scales up. And there would likely be more reactors built, since there’s more flexibility in application.
… Allow me to amend my statement to what was obvious. Small and reproducable doesn’t mean cheap electricity, and cheap electricity is what we want.
I would take carbon free electricity over cheaper electricity any day, but yes those with the money buying power generation want primarily the cheapest energy.
omg how are you guys misreading this so much.
Small and reproducable doesn’t mean cheap electricity when compared to typical large nuclear reactors, and cheap electricity is what we want.
Large nuclear reactors scare VC with large upside cost and delayed construction so they don’t get built. Known and tested SMR’s pretty much have that covered. I’ll accept clean energy over cheaper.