Strategic Energy Acquisition
has signed a pioneering deal with Kairos Power to purchase electricity from small modular reactors (SMRs), aiming to power its AI data centres with clean energy by 2030.
This agreement represents a significant move by Google to secure a reliable, carbon-free power source amidst growing AI-related energy demands, with each SMR generating 500 megawatts of electricity.
Technological and Environmental Implications
The SMRs, developed by Kairos Power, use a molten-salt cooling system, promising safer and more adaptable energy solutions, despite the technology being still in development.
Critics and supporters debate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of SMRs, with concerns over regulatory approvals and the potential for high costs without achieving economies of scale.