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Somebody mentioned that a solar panel field to power a data center requires a lot of impact assessment paper work and approvals. Whereas natural gas generators

Somebody mentioned that a solar panel field to power a data center requires a lot of impact assessment paper work and approvals. Whereas natural gas generators do not. Hence the runs on gas turbines, while solar panels are plentiful. ( Although I'd guess the consistency of power is a bigger issue. ) Running existing coal is now supposedly more expensive then putting in new wind or solar ... all else being equal.

techpression 19d ago
They should definitely use wind power, since you could use the fans to cool the computers at the same time! I for one would love a nice HTTP status in the form of "due to the weather being nice and calm outside, AI services are down, go outside and enjoy the day"
- Muromec 19d ago
  Imposing rules like that is what we are supposed to use religion for.
jaapz 19d ago
That might be a reason, but probably more relevant is the fact that when you want solar to provide all power for a data center, you need a lot of buffering capacity (batteries). And then you also need a back up for when the sun doesn't shine... Which is probably a gas generator. Easier to just install a gas generator then
- inigyou 19d ago
  AI training, not inference, seems like it would actually be a good application for a solar powered DC because you could just checkpoint and pause when it gets cloudy. It might end up worth it for the free electricity.
  - rogerrogerr 19d ago
    If you think you are building God, and every second counts, interruptions cost you way more than measly electricity.
  - Kubuxu 19d ago
    It doesn’t make sense to do that, hardware deprecates in 5years (it used to be 3) and is currently very expensive. So by using this approach you double the average cost of hardware per unit of compute completed. If there wasn’t such a hardware squeeze and electricity was a higher percentage of the cost, yes, it would have made sense.
- rangestransform 19d ago
  If we didn’t have stupid regulatory bullshit and protectionism, it would be cheaper to run a data center on solar and batteries in bumfuck Nevada

techpression 19d ago

They should definitely use wind power, since you could use the fans to cool the computers at the same time! I for one would love a nice HTTP status in the form of "due to the weather being nice and calm outside, AI services are down, go outside and enjoy the day"

Muromec 19d ago
Imposing rules like that is what we are supposed to use religion for.

jaapz 19d ago

That might be a reason, but probably more relevant is the fact that when you want solar to provide all power for a data center, you need a lot of buffering capacity (batteries). And then you also need a back up for when the sun doesn't shine... Which is probably a gas generator. Easier to just install a gas generator then

inigyou 19d ago
AI training, not inference, seems like it would actually be a good application for a solar powered DC because you could just checkpoint and pause when it gets cloudy. It might end up worth it for the free electricity.
- rogerrogerr 19d ago
  If you think you are building God, and every second counts, interruptions cost you way more than measly electricity.
- Kubuxu 19d ago
  It doesn’t make sense to do that, hardware deprecates in 5years (it used to be 3) and is currently very expensive. So by using this approach you double the average cost of hardware per unit of compute completed. If there wasn’t such a hardware squeeze and electricity was a higher percentage of the cost, yes, it would have made sense.
rangestransform 19d ago
If we didn’t have stupid regulatory bullshit and protectionism, it would be cheaper to run a data center on solar and batteries in bumfuck Nevada