Demand from data centers is expected to more than triple by 2028, according to the Department of Energy. This is largely due to the explosion of Artificial Intelligence, and its intense demand for electricity.
But could solar energy be the key to making a dent in this energy demand, so that the grid isn’t negatively affected? According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, several tech giant think so and are investing heavily in solar technology.
Meta, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are just a few of the big tech companies investing billions in solar technology. Two of the main reasons for the investment in solar is that the solar development timeline is much shorter than for other sources electricity. At 1.4 years, solar is the shortest timeline to develop an 800-megawatt solar plant. That’s compared to 15 years for a nuclear power and 6.7 years for a coal-fired power plant.
Also, solar is much less expensive, is easily scalable, and pays back much quicker than other sources of electricity.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
