The Dark Side of Artificial Intelligence: Google's Carbon Emissions Soar
The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has another facet, that of pollution. Google, one of the pioneers in this field, has seen its emissions skyrocket by around 50% compared to 2019, according to its 2024 environmental report published yesterday. Compared to 2013, Google's emissions have increased by 13%. Given that the tech giant aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, this is a significant step backward.
This surge in emissions is due to increased energy consumption by data centers and supply chain emissions generated by the rapid progress of AI and the exponential growth in demand for this field. The electricity consumption of Google's California-based data centers has jumped by 17% in just one year.
To stem this hemorrhage, Google has partnered with BlackRock to develop a 1-gigawatt pipeline of new solar capacity in Taiwan. This will enable the company to increase its energy capacity and reduce its carbon emissions. The agreement involves Google making a capital investment, which still needs to be approved by regulatory authorities, in Taiwanese solar developer New Green Power to facilitate the construction of its large-scale solar pipeline. The investment amount has not been disclosed. If carried out as planned, the project will help Google achieve its goal of net-zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030.
The new solar capacity will contribute to powering Google's data centers and clouds in Taiwan. The excess clean energy capacity will also be offered to chip suppliers and other Google vendors in the region.
If we produce more clean energy in Tunisia, wouldn't that help attract tech companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint? In this field, in particular, the country has become a hub for training engineers and technicians. Food for thought...