Energy use
Coverage of Energy use in the Nexus archive.
- Elk River City Council blocks data center plan
Elk River city leaders rejected a 60,000-square-foot data center proposal due to resident concerns about energy use, noise levels, and environmental impact. The project would have created 40 jobs, but council members are now considering a one-year ban on future data center projects.
- Scientists discover a protein switch that burns fat and blocks new fat cells
Scientists discovered a protein called 'Mitch' that, when disabled in human cells, enhances fat burning, increases energy use, and inhibits new fat cell formation. Mice lacking Mitch were observed to be leaner, more athletic, and resistant to obesity.
- Henrico asks employees to reduce energy use as county braces for $5 million jump in electricity costs
Henrico County is asking employees to reduce energy use as it prepares for a $5 million increase in electricity costs next fiscal year. The county is taking proactive measures to mitigate the financial impact of rising energy expenses.
- Mamdani roasted for telling New Yorkers to set their ACs to 78 degrees as blistering heat wave bakes Big Apple
Mamdani faced criticism for advising New Yorkers to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees during a heat wave. Critics argued this is hypocritical given Times Square's continuous energy-intensive lighting.
- Heated town hall over Fisk University's proposed data center raises new questions
Residents, alumni, and community leaders attended a Fisk University town hall to question President Dr. Agenia Clark about concerns related to a proposed data center, including noise, energy use, environmental impacts, and effects on surrounding neighborhoods.
- AI is an energy and water hog, here's what you can do to counter that
AI and data centers consume significant energy and water, with companies lacking transparency. Experts advise using AI less frequently, avoiding simple tasks, and making concise queries to reduce environmental impact.
- Michigan Senate Democrats push for stricter data center energy, worker rules
Michigan Senate Democrats are advocating for stricter regulations on data centers regarding energy use and worker conditions. Sen. Rosemary Bayer emphasized the need for legislation to address potential environmental and community impacts from data centers.
- Where legislatures lag, local officials are stopping data centers altogether
Local officials in Missouri suburbs are halting data center projects through bans and contentious measures as state legislatures struggle to regulate their rapid expansion. The growth of hyperscale data centers, driven by cloud computing and AI, has sparked public protests and debates over energy and water usage, with Missouri lawmakers proposing bills to address regulatory gaps.
- Officials hugely underestimated impact of AI datacentres on UK carbon emissions
The UK government significantly underestimated the carbon emissions from AI datacentres, with revised estimates showing a 100-fold increase. New data projects these datacentres could emit up to 123 million tonnes of CO₂ over the next decade, equivalent to emissions from 2.7 million people.
- Feds will require data centers to show their power bills
The U.S. Energy Information Agency is requiring data centers to disclose energy use details for the first time. This marks a new regulatory step in monitoring energy consumption in the tech sector.