AI data centres can warm surrounding areas by up to 9.1°C

(newscientist.com)

17 points | by Brajeshwar 6 hours ago ago

3 comments

  • WarOnPrivacy 6 hours ago ago

        The researchers took satellite measurements of land surface
        temperatures over the past 20 years and cross-referenced
        them against the geographical coordinates of more than 
        8400 AI data centres. 
    
        Recognising that surface temperature could be affected by other
        factors, the researchers chose to focus their investigation on
        data centres located away from densely populated areas.
    
        They discovered that land surface temperatures increased
        by an average of 2°C (3.6°F) in the months after an AI data
        centre started operations. In the most extreme cases, the
        increase in temperature was 9.1°C (16.4°F).
    
        The effect wasn’t limited to the immediate surroundings
        of the data centres: the team found increased temperatures
        up to 10 kilometres away. Seven kilometres away, there was
        only a 30 per cent reduction in the intensity.
  • WarOnPrivacy 6 hours ago ago
  • 3eb7988a1663 5 hours ago ago

    That is wild, but I guess not unexpected. If you have a 1GW datacenter, that 1GW has to go somewhere. 1GW being what a small city might use.