I am really interested in this. We talk all the time about 'the cloud' but the nuts and bolts of this are undersea cables, banks of servers guzzling electricity, pylons and mobile phone masts dotted across the landscape and the mines across the globe from Congo to the Ukraine, the ships criss crossing the globe to ship the materials to make the semi conductors, the child labourers who make the phones and computers (mainly in the Global South).
I am minded to think of the famouse Blake painting, from the front Lucifer as an angel, from the back as a dragon. I have watched in alarm as Ireland has become the data centre capital of Europe, with nearly 20% of the country's electricity supply being sucked up by them. This is only possible because most people have no idea what is happening or how the 'cloud' is encroaching more and more on physical space.
Totally agree—there’s a huge disconnect between the sleek, weightless idea of "the cloud" and the very real, resource-intensive infrastructure that powers it.
I'm looking forward to reading more. My concerns about AI, for example, are predominantly environmental and it looks like you'll be covering those issues.
Not unlike the beginning of transportation by horse, rail, truck, air, or automobile the transport of electrons and photons require an entirely new infrastructure regime hidden from view by most. Technological advancement has brought great benefit to mankind as well as harm. Government embraces these advancements until they create public harm. Does mankind truely benefit ? I believe it does.
Not to mention they barely employ anyone locally. Facility operations at a “hyper” data center might be like 30 people. Probably all contractors, not even FTEs. They take everything and give nothing back to the community.
Yes ! It’s clear that big tech should have a separate bill for using so much of electricity produced by the Grid!
But go back to the beginning of the 20th century and you will realise Nikolai Tesla had discovered the means to make Electricity from the ether… as he demonstrated by his driving around New York in his electric car - powered only by an Ariel… which used no battery
I am really interested in this. We talk all the time about 'the cloud' but the nuts and bolts of this are undersea cables, banks of servers guzzling electricity, pylons and mobile phone masts dotted across the landscape and the mines across the globe from Congo to the Ukraine, the ships criss crossing the globe to ship the materials to make the semi conductors, the child labourers who make the phones and computers (mainly in the Global South).
I am minded to think of the famouse Blake painting, from the front Lucifer as an angel, from the back as a dragon. I have watched in alarm as Ireland has become the data centre capital of Europe, with nearly 20% of the country's electricity supply being sucked up by them. This is only possible because most people have no idea what is happening or how the 'cloud' is encroaching more and more on physical space.
Totally agree—there’s a huge disconnect between the sleek, weightless idea of "the cloud" and the very real, resource-intensive infrastructure that powers it.
Georgism sounds like a possible solution which is to tax the land and resources and consider the costs and future burdens to environment.
Looking forward to more of this!
I'm looking forward to reading more. My concerns about AI, for example, are predominantly environmental and it looks like you'll be covering those issues.
I am interested in how you focus with so much to cover. I.e. geographic area, company, energy resource, etc.
Good luck and I look forward to reading.
Good insight 😌 Can i translate part of this article into Spanish with links to you and a description of your newsletter?
Thanks! 😊 That sounds great—I'd love for more people to engage with it. Feel free to translate. Appreciate you sharing!
Not unlike the beginning of transportation by horse, rail, truck, air, or automobile the transport of electrons and photons require an entirely new infrastructure regime hidden from view by most. Technological advancement has brought great benefit to mankind as well as harm. Government embraces these advancements until they create public harm. Does mankind truely benefit ? I believe it does.
Not to mention they barely employ anyone locally. Facility operations at a “hyper” data center might be like 30 people. Probably all contractors, not even FTEs. They take everything and give nothing back to the community.
Yes ! It’s clear that big tech should have a separate bill for using so much of electricity produced by the Grid!
But go back to the beginning of the 20th century and you will realise Nikolai Tesla had discovered the means to make Electricity from the ether… as he demonstrated by his driving around New York in his electric car - powered only by an Ariel… which used no battery
This is why your electric bill doubled.