- Google plans to use nuclear power for its data storage
- Last year, Kairos received permission to build its first test reactor in the US state of Tennessee
Google plans to use nuclear power for its data storage
Google, following Microsoft's lead, announced on Monday plans to buy nuclear power to run its data centers in this power-hungry age of artificial intelligence (AI).
The tech giant said it plans to "quickly and safely power the first small modular reactors (SMRs) from California-based Kairos Power by 2030, and scale them up by 2035".
"In total, this deal will enable the US power grid to deliver up to 500 MW of new, coal-free power around the clock, and help more communities access clean and affordable nuclear energy," said Google CEO Michael Terrell in a blog post.
Terrell told the Financial Times that six or seven plants are planned. It is unclear whether the reactors will feed electricity into the grid or whether the data centers will be directly connected to them.
The deal's financial details also remain unclear, such as whether Google wants to contribute to the financing of the construction of the plants or just buy the electricity once they are completed.
Kairos' small reactors have the unique feature of being cooled by molten fluoride salts rather than water. The company claims this design is safer than conventional reactors because the coolant does not boil.
Last year, Kairos received permission to build its first test reactor in the US state of Tennessee
Large technology companies have committed to climate-neutral practices and have increasingly used renewable energy in recent years. But then came the IoT boom - requiring a lot of electricity.
"Google has said it wants to become climate neutral by 2030. It is offsetting its carbon emissions by planting trees to achieve this.
Last year, 64% of the energy used in Google's data centers and offices was CO2-free. Meanwhile, the company's CO2 emissions increased by 13%.
This was mainly due to the amount of energy consumed in data centers. "Google is trying to use its advantage - its dominance among search engines - to play an innovative role in the use of IoT.
Based on ELTA reports
