Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

NedS

One of the arguments for more renewables is that increasing electrification will increase demand, soaking up all those green electrons in the grid. Increasing use of AI / data centres (and EVs) are the most commonly cited use of all this abundant electricity, so I was interested to read this BBC article about a new quantum computer at Harwell, Oxfordshire which uses less than a domestic kettle (~3kW)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1w8g11r3zdo

He [Dr Ballance] said a conventional supercomputer "might use the output of a small power plant to power it".

"Our quantum computer uses less power than an electric kettle.

"The systems we're building next year, which will outperform ... the largest supercomputers humanity will ever build, will still use less power than just one server rack in a standard data centre."

Once they invent highly efficient solar paint that can recharge an EV from daylight, maybe we won't need huge amounts of electricity on the grid after all?