Das Rechenzentrum von O’Leary wird eine der größten Wärmequellen der Erde sein, warnt der Physiker

Alberta’s Wonder Valley artificial intelligence (AI) data centre and nine-gigawatt power plant will be “one of the largest single-site heat sources on the planet” when fully operational, warns a Utah State University physicist commissioned to assess the project.

“These are not data centres in any familiar sense of the term,” wrote [pdf] Dr. Robert Davies, a physicist and complex systems scientist, in an assessment for the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. “From here on, I’ll refer to these energy-and-heat behemoths—massive compute fused with massive power generation—as Gigascale AI Smelters, smelting data and material strip-mined from people and planet.”

At a realistic generation efficiency for a gas plant, Davies said supplying 9 GW of electricity would mean “burning fuel at a continuous rate on the order of 16 to 18 GW, day and night, year-round.”

“Essentially the entire fuel burn ends up as heat released at the site, because the electricity is consumed onsite and degrades, in full, to heat.”

The project is planned for approximately 65 square kilometres owned by the Municipal District of Greenview, including Crown land transferred to them in a series of purchase agreements. A plot that size would fit about 130 West Edmonton Malls.

“The data centre won’t be introducing a single novel disturbance into intact boreal forest,” he wrote. “Rather it will be layering an enormous new thermal, acoustic, air-emissions, and water demand on top of an environment already fragmented by resource extraction—across territory in which the Cree Nation exercises Treaty and harvesting rights.”

Because numerous companies are already extracting resources from the area, creating “dense access networks through the surrounding forest,” Davies said cumulative effects studies should be done and a “whole systems analysis” is needed.

This POS is never going to be built or finished lol.

He should have it built in his backyard. His billionaire friends can sway the city councillors to change the bylaws.

O’Leary is a sleazbag he cares about nothing but his bank account. He couldn’t careless about the impacts.

All the billionaires and corporations are pushing all the building, buying, insider trading and any agendas that would never be approved by the next government at all costs.
Then I guess comes hiding as much money as possible when all this explodes in their faces. Then the trials start . All those who are proven to be part of this massive theft of public funds will be in deep trouble.

Has to Alberta again, eh. Why am I not surprised.

Edit – who downvoted me? Why? Thin skinned?

When do they plan to break ground? I don’t see an estimated start date in the article. Usually for jobs like this if it’s a 5 year timeline, double that and you’ll find your bottom. You can’t find your too because there’s no guarantee of completion.

I am trying to stay open minded, please explain why we need it. Anyone can say they do t want it but most of us use ai often during the day. Explain please

Wondering if he’s out boating today?

„Will be?“ or never going to happen. Let’s hope it crashes and burns. It’s a purley money grubbing scheme by O’leary at the expense of an entire state that doesn’t want it.

Fuck O’Leary. Just another Trump.

Any chance to use that heat source? Don’t know to create electricity so reduce the load on the grid. It seems wasting it is an oversight

Putting a massive heat emitting construct in the middle of a province continually ravaged by extreme weather is exceptionally stupid.

I just heard artificial hot spring resort.

I’m sure Danny is 100% on board with this plan. Think of all the oil that will be used locally! Support local business!

Is her husband going to be on the Board of Directors?

Random fun fact that the headline reminded me of:

Both the hottest and coldest recorded places in the universe are right here on Earth!

Ban all data centers.

Who cares?

They’re proposing building in an area that has water shortages, and using gas power.

Geothermal and SMR are much better options for power in Alberta, and ground source heat pump is a vastly superior heating and cooling option.

Several large datacenters in Ontario are using heat pumps and they’re working well.

What I don’t get, is why aren’t they recovering that heat for some other usage.
*
* Greenhouses in the winter for example
* „sand batteries“.
* drying farm grains
* Drying wood.

the list is endless.

I can’t have a plastic spoon but they can burn up all the water?