The EU wants to send data centers into space.

Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and other energy-hungry technologies are driving global energy demand skyrocketing. With more and more tech companies adopting AI software and many industries incorporating these technologies into their day-to-day operations, global energy demand is growing and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Meanwhile, governments around the world are pushing to shift away from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives, encouraging people and businesses to reduce their energy needs and decarbonize. The growing energy demand to power technologies like AI is at odds with the global green transition, meaning scientists are now looking for alternative ways to power these technologies sustainably.

As AI becomes more popular and tech companies work quickly to improve it, the AI ​​market is expected to reach almost $2 trillion by 2030. This means that the global modular data center market is expected to grow to $81.2 billion by 2030, from $25.8 billion today. Total global electricity consumption in data centers is expected to grow to 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026, equivalent to the electricity demand of Japan. This is mainly because AI data centers require about three times more energy than conventional data centers.

Tech companies are looking for ways to power their operations sustainably, investing heavily in green energy to power data centers. In 2023, for example, Microsoft announced it would invest in nuclear power to fuel its AI ambitions. But energy experts fear that green energy used to power data centers could reduce the amount of renewable energy available to consumers and other industries, forcing us to rely on fossil fuels for much longer.

This has led to governments and private companies investing in research and development of alternative energy projects. The EU is currently funding a $2.1 million ASCEND study assessing the potential of sending data centres into space to reduce energy burdens. The 16-month Advanced Space Cloud for European Net zero emission and Data sovereignty study assessed the feasibility of sending data centres into orbit. The project is managed by Thales Alenia Space for the European Commission. Damien Dumestier, project manager, explained: “The idea is to take some of the energy demand off the data centres and send them into space to take advantage of the infinite energy that is solar energy.”

The project assessed the potential of launching data centers into space at an altitude of 1,400 km, which is about three times higher than the International Space Station. ASCENT aims to send 13 building blocks of 10 MW space data centers by 2036. Each building block would be about 6,300 square meters and have the power to run its own data center. To reduce the burden on the energy sector, ASCENT ultimately aims to launch 1,300 building blocks by mid-century, to reach 1 GW.

The study assessed the projected environmental impact of using this method of powering data centers. The researchers found that reducing carbon emissions would require developing a new type of launcher that would produce about 10 times less emissions than current options. Twelve companies are participating in the study, and ArianeGroup is currently developing new launcher technologies to make this possible, with the goal of introducing the first green launcher by 2035.

While space data centers would gain access to greater levels of solar power without having to deal with weather disruptions, there are concerns about the amount of rocket fuel required to keep the structure in orbit. A 1 MW data center could require about 280,000 kg of rocket fuel per year to keep it in low orbit, costing about $140 million in 2030. Critics say the high cost makes it unlikely to see widespread adoption, with only specific key services such as military/surveillance, broadcasting, and telecommunications.

Nevertheless, the feasibility study has shown promise. Christophe Valorge, Chief Technology Officer at Thales Alenia Space, stated: “The results of the ASCEND study confirm that deploying data centres in space can transform the European digital landscape, offering a more environmentally friendly and sovereign solution for hosting and processing data. We are proud to contribute to an initiative that supports Europe’s net zero emissions goals and strengthens its technological sovereignty.”

Whether or not we see commercial deployment of space data centres this century, the progress being seen in the space sector shows that greater research and development into alternative energy operations can play a huge role in the green transition. While the EU looks to the skies for answers, other companies like Microsoft are exploring the potential of undersea data centres, showing that it is only a matter of time before we start harvesting energy from little-explored locations.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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