AI scaling pathways: on grid, on edge, off grid, off planet
About this episode
Shayle Kann and Jake Elder discuss the future of power generation solutions for data centers, exploring on grid, off grid, on edge, and off planet options.
As demand for data center power skyrockets, available options to provide that power have dwindled. And cohesive frameworks for finding sustainable generation remain few and far between. In this episode, Shayle speaks with Jake Elder, senior vice president of research and innovation at Energy Impact Partners. The two colleagues dig into the four main generation solutions — on grid, off grid, on edge, and off planet – and consider the viability of each in the years to come. Shayle and Jake explore topics like: A ten year forecast: Jake’s prediction for how the global "compute pie" will get split up between these four pathways Jake’s skepticism around whether a shift towards on-device compute can scale effectively The worsening bottleneck facing on-grid connection Building “shock absorbers” into the infrastructure of off-grid data centers that enable them to maintain “five nines[a][b][c]” of reliability The feasibility of making orbital data centers affordable The logistics behind creating radiators “the size of a small town” to dissipate heat from orbital data centers Resources: Catalyst: PJM and ERCOT are navigating a capacity rollercoaster Catalyst: Will inference move to the…
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