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A coalition of environmental and well being teams has known as on Microsoft to depend on clear power era as a substitute of a proposed growth of methane-fueled energy for its deliberate Racine County information heart — projected to grow to be Wisconsin Electrical’s “largest electric load.”
In an open letter to Microsoft, the teams cost that the plan underway by We Energies to construct new methane fuel energy vegetation “will push our state’s climate goals out of reach, locking us into 30 more years of fossil fuels at a time when we all know we must rapidly transition to clean energy.”
We Energies defended its plan Thursday, calling the fuel vegetation a necessary transition step as the corporate expands its clear power portfolio.
Microsoft’s determination to construct a man-made intelligence information heart in Mount Nice has been highlighted as a Wisconsin financial improvement success story, however alongside that has come a rising consciousness in regards to the heavy demand that information facilities and AI make for electrical energy.
In testimony to the state Public Service Fee supporting a proposed fee enhance to pay for the price of expanded methane energy era, a Microsoft advisor stated the information heart is predicted “to become the largest electric load” served by Wisconsin Electrical, the Milwaukee Enterprise Journal reported. Wisconsin Electrical is a subsidiary of We Energies.
The letter distributed Thursday by Clear Wisconsin and signed by a dozen organizations declares that if carried out, the utility’s plan will enhance air air pollution from nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, lead, carbon monoxide, risky natural compounds and greenhouse gasses that contribute to local weather change.
“It’s time for Wisconsin to leave these dangerous ways to produce energy behind, not double-down on dirty fuels in the name of new technology,” the letter states.
As an alternative of backing the methane energy build-out, the letter urges Microsoft to embrace increasing photo voltaic and wind energy in Wisconsin to fulfill the elevated demand.
“Microsoft’s recently-announced plan to help fund a currently unspecified 250-megawatt solar project in Wisconsin is a good start, but this represents just a fraction of the data center’s energy needs,” the letter states. “There must be more.”
The letter cites Microsoft’s public claims of dedication to addressing local weather change.
“This data center project represents a critical opportunity to help drive change in Wisconsin and put us on a path to clean wind and solar,” the letter states. “Microsoft knows what we all know, that the window to make meaningful progress in the fight against climate change is closing, and the decisions we make right now matter.”
In an announcement Thursday responding to the letter, We Energies spokesman Brendan Conway stated the brand new proposed pure fuel era vegetation have been obligatory to make sure dependable service as the corporate continues its transfer towards cleaner energy sources.
“Now more than ever, it is critical for us to have quick-start gas plants available and running in our state for those times when intermittent renewable generation cannot meet customers’ energy needs,” Conway stated. He known as the fuel vegetation “the cheapest, most reliable and lowest carbon approach to support our customers when solar and wind are not able to provide enough power.”
The proposed vegetation adjust to EPA emission requirements, Conway stated. He added that We Energies continues to increase its clear power manufacturing, spending greater than $7 billion on photo voltaic, wind and battery storage capability by 2028. The utility calculates that with these investments will probably be producing 4 occasions its present output of non-carbon power inside 5 years.
By Erik Gunn. Courtesy of Wisconsin Examiner.
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