Key developments: Researchers and companies are highlighting that while newer cooling technologies dramatically cut onsite water use, the surge in electricity demand pushes water consumption upstream to power plants. Meta’s 2024 report shows 96% of its 21 billion gallons…
Continue reading AI Data Centers Shift Water Use From Sites to Power Plants, Driving Massive Indirect ConsumptionKey developments: Recent research shows that the vast majority of water used by AI data centers is not the on‑site cooling water but the water consumed at power plants to generate the electricity they need. Meta disclosed that…
Continue reading AI’s Hidden Water Footprint Swells as Power‑Intensive Data Centers GrowKey developments: Data‑center operators are rolling out water‑saving cooling technologies such as closed‑loop liquid and immersion cooling, which dramatically reduce the water needed on‑site. However, these systems increase electricity use, pushing the bulk of water consumption upstream to…
Continue reading AI’s Thirst Grows – New Cooling Cuts On‑Site Water but Shifts Demand to Power Plants
