Is nuclear power the answer to Google’s ‘search’ for clean energy?

Big-tech companies are consuming massive amounts of electricity, necessitating energy solutions that can provide consistent power without compromising sustainability.

In the race to meet these rising energy demands, tech giants are increasingly turning to nuclear power as a potential solution.

After companies like Amazon and Microsoft, Google is now evaluating nuclear energy sources to fuel their extensive data centres which power artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and other data-driven services.

“Google is looking for energy sources that not only meet its high energy needs but will also fulfil its goal of generating net-zero emissions,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, on Thursday.

Pichai recently emphasised that AI investments have significantly amplified the scale of the company’s energy needs​.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, explained the issue earlier this year, warning that AI's energy consumption could lead to an energy crisis.

He pointed out that without new sources, global grids might soon face an energy crisis​.

This concern has led Google and other companies to explore nuclear power as an option that could provide consistent and large-scale energy.

‘Net-zero emissions’

In July, Google set an ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions across all of its operations and value chain by 2030.

“Starting in 2023, we’re no longer maintaining operational carbon neutrality.” the company stated in its latest report.

Although Google’s total planet-warming emissions in 2023 were 48 percent higher than in 2019, reflecting a doubling of its total energy consumption during that period.

"It was a very ambitious target," Pichai shared in an interview with Nikkei about the zero-emissions goal," and we are still going to be working very ambitiously towards it. Obviously, the trajectory of AI investments has added to the scale of the task needed.”

Shift towards nuclear power

Google’s interest in nuclear energy goes beyond its sustainability goals.

The company has been exploring various clean energy solutions for years, including wind and solar.

However, as AI technology broadens, traditional renewables alone may not be enough.

The Google CEO said that the company has identified small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as a promising candidate.

"We are now looking at additional investments, be it solar, and evaluating technologies like small modular nuclear reactors, etc."

“I see an amount of money going into SMRs for nuclear energy,” he stated.

SMRs are more compact and flexible than traditional nuclear plants, making them suitable for specific energy-intensive sites like data centres.

“When I look at the capital and innovation going into [new energy], I'm optimistic in the medium to long term.” Pichai spoke at Carnegie Mellon University in September.

“For the first time in our history, we have this one piece of underlying technology,” Pichai explained, highlighting how Generative AI’s influence has reshaped Google’s energy strategy​.

He remarked that these advancements required the company to increase its investments in energy sources that can meet such high demand​.

But Google is not the only company who aims for zero carbon emissions.

Amazon and Microsoft have both signed substantial deals with nuclear facilities to power their operations.

Earlier this year, Amazon struck a $650 million deal with the Susquehanna nuclear power station, while Microsoft inked a 20-year agreement with the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania​.

Even as it still intends to be carbon negative by 2030, Microsoft, has seen primarily its AI activities produce emissions to rise by 30% compared to 2020.

The road ahead

While Pichai has yet to specify when and where Google will begin using nuclear energy, the company’s exploration of this power source reveals a broader shift across the tech industry.

The demand for energy within the AI sector has reached unprecedented levels, as these systems consume immense amounts of power to function effectively.

Current reliance on traditional renewables like wind and solar may struggle to meet these escalating needs.

Nuclear technology with its ability to deliver steady, large-scale electricity generation, may become an increasingly viable option for tech companies facing similar challenges.