Sustainable Energy Archives - Green to Black

Study Identifies Most Competitive and Sustainable Regions for AI Servers in the U.S.

Henry Palmer — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:42:59 +0000

The United States is experiencing a booming demand for generative AI models, despite the threat the hot technology poses for the planet should it remain reliant on fossil fuels. A study recently published in Nature Sustainability explores potential net-zero pathways to mitigate the environmental burden of artificial intelligence servers in the U.S. According to the study by Xiao, Nerini, et al., generative AI server deployment in the US is largely unmitigated, creating a collision course with climate goals. Through the use of bottleneck-based modelling, the authors predict that the environmental burden of AI servers could reach a 44 Mt CO2-equivalent and a water footprint exceeding 1 billion cubic meters by 2030. Those in favor of the AI boom often point towards the technology’s ability to aid in the discovery of climate solutions; however, the study finds that the scale of AI’s computational demand is greatly outpacing the rate of U.S. grid de-carbonization. This makes corporate net-zero goals and promises largely unattainable without “highly uncertain carbon offset and water restoration mechanisms.” The roadmap provided by the study prioritizes optimal siting of servers in regions like the Midwest that experience low-carbon and low-water-stress, instead of the current trend of building data centers in water-scarce regions like Nevada and Arizona. When combined with accelerated grid de-carbonization and key technologies like advanced liquid cooling, a sustainable and competitive foundation for future AI growth may not be out of reach. Following the outlined environmental incentives also aligns with for-profit interests, as placing facilities in regions rich in renewable energy and water protects operations from the volatile utility costs commonly associated with resource scarcity. By following the roadmap outlined in the study, companies can lower their operating expenses in the long term, while simultaneously creating an environmentally-friendly, future-proof foundation for their AI investments.

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Nuclear Expansion in the UK: What Sizewell C Means for Energy Investors

Henry Palmer — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 19:37:33 +0000

For the first time since 1995, a new nuclear power plant is set to be built in England. Sizewell C, a giant power station under construction in Eastern England, intends to generate electricity for six million homes, but the massive scope of the project has resulted in sizable opposition. According to an article by Stanley Reed for The New York Times, Sizewell C is pushing forward despite opposition from groups like “Stop Sizewell C” and a massive $51 billion price tag, thanks to proponents including the British government and managing director Julia Pyke. Those in favor of the project argue Sizewell C is essential for providing England with a stable “base load” power that unsteady renewables can’t guarantee. Sizewell C could ensure long-term energy security for the region while phasing out fossil fuels; Critics, however, are skeptical about the claimed cost-effectiveness and proposed decades-long timeline, pointing to the high costs that will be passed on to consumers. This project has significant implications for nuclear energy as a whole. If Sizewell C is successful, it could provide breathe life into the nuclear industry in the West more broadly and secure a role for nuclear power in a stable, de-carbonized grid with a viable financing and construction model. Conversely, if the plant suffers the same major delays and cost overruns as similar projects, it could become a costly distraction that reinforces the global trend of faster and cheaper renewables.

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Windfalls or Windfails: What Trump’s Continued Attacks on Clean Energy Might Mean for Investors

Henry Palmer — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:24:24 +0000

“Wind is a national security threat” is a statement likely never uttered by anyone prior to Trump. Under this odd pretense his administration is currently poised to throw away billions of dollars and the infrastructure powering 350,000 American homes in just one of their recent attacks on offshore wind farms. A recent article for the New York Times by Brad Plumer and Karen Zraick outlines the clash between the Trump administration and Orsted, a Danish energy company. Orsted is currently suing over what they claim to be the unlawful halt of their Rhode Island offshore wind farm. Developers at Orsted are rightfully angry as they have already put $5 billion into the project and would be subject to another billion in penalties if they cannot complete it. In addition to money already invested, they stand to lose billions in future revenue. This is not president Trump’s first attack on wind energy. Earlier this year in April his administration ordered Empire Wind, another multi-billion dollar farm off the coast of New York, to close despite receiving the necessary permits from the Biden administration. Currently, Trump has little power to legally stop projects that have already received permits. With the rising presence of the national guard in cities across the country, however, there may come a time when stop-work orders are backed by force rather than the law. It may be a risky investment, but with Orsted’s stock price reaching record lows last month following the order, the upside of investing in wind farms during these turbulent and unpredictable times may be too great to pass up.

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Here Comes the Sun: Africa’s Energy Needs Offset China’s Overproduction of Solar

Henry Palmer — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:34:35 +0000

In the past year, China has continued to export massive amounts of solar equipment to Africa, shipping 15 gigawatts of capacity to various nations. This nearly doubles the 20 gigawatts installed in 2023. This surge tells two compelling stories that investors and climate watchers should heed. An article published in The New York Times by Somini Sengupta outlines how China is solving two problems at once. Chinese overproduction of solar panels has crashed prices and created a surplus that they desperately need to offload before technology advances. At the same time, Africa has over 600 million people who lack access to electricity, presenting an enormous demand for the excess supply. I recently touched on China’s push into the Latin American automotive markets, and this is quite similar. While Western companies are focused on oversaturated markets, China is continuing to capture the needs of the developing world in the ongoing energy transition. From large markets like South Africa and Nigeria to Sierra Leone and Chad, China is capitalizing on an entire continent hungry for energy. Looking through a climate lens, two-thirds of African energy investments are still funneled into fossil fuels, but cheap Chinese solar has the ability to change the tides. This trend is likely to continue, meaning the question is simply how quickly the excess panels can find their way to African grids and start changing lives.

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The Science and Business of Energy: Interdisciplinary Inquiry at Bowdoin College

Henry Palmer — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 22:44:17 +0000

During my college search, I recently read about an intriguing cross-disciplinary course at Bowdoin College entitled the “The Physics and Economics of Energy” which will be co-taught there this spring by physicist Mark Battle and economist Guillermo Herrera. This course examines the physical principles, economic aspects, and environmental ramifications of every widespread energy source. Humanity’s utilization of energy continues to fascinate me because it is responsible for many of our most profound achievements and our fiercest challenges. Fossil fuels have powered innovation since the Industrial Revolution, enabling inventions from the earliest steam engines to the most complex space ships exploring the cosmos. Yet the extraction of these energy sources has fueled (pun intended) conflict between nations continuously competing for oil reserves and created the CO2 crises currently threatening our planet’s many ecosystems. Nuclear fission can power cities or level them. Coal built modern civilization while poisoning our atmosphere. I wish more students had access to courses like this one that compare the cost and impact of fossil fuels with alternative forms of energy such as solar, hydropower, wind, and nuclear within the context of market opportunity and government policy. I am looking forward to advancing my understanding as an undergraduate of these topics through courses like this.

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Fossil Nation: How the US is Losing the Bid for Energy Dominance

Henry Palmer — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 19:39:38 +0000

A July 1, 2025 article by David Gelles in the New York Times discusses Trump’s intentional dismantling of the Biden Administration’s green energy initiatives. Biden’s policies directed billions to Republican-led districts and positioned the United States to compete with China in the rush to embrace renewable power, a process necessary due to the energy needs of artificial intelligence. Regardless, the Trump administration appears bent on steering the country further toward dependence on fossil fuels. America continues to lag behind in a field we once dominated with inventions like silicon photovoltaic cells and rechargeable lithium-metal batteries, costing both economic potential and technological superiority. Estimates show current fossil fuel reserves to have around a 50-year supply, but international energy consumption continues to grow. The renewable energy field has huge profit potential, which the administration seems willing to surrender to foreign nations and potential enemies. Regardless of the motivation, the approach to fulfilling our energy needs risks America losing future economic gains to rival nations and compromising its position in the global energy revolution.

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Fighting the Winds of Change: An Update on Off-Shore Wind

Henry Palmer — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:15:35 +0000

While offshore wind farms are positioned to contribute in major ways to the future of clean electricity, the industry is currently weathering a stormy situation. In a January 2024 article from the MIT Technology Review, Casey Crownhart addresses the speedbumps companies such as Ørsted must overcome to further efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions. In recent months, issues such as rising interest rates, high inflation, and supply shortages have led to the delaying or cancellation of projects around the world, including Ørsted’s Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 which would have supplied power to over a million New Jersey homes. In the US alone, over 12 gigawatts worth of contracts have been either delayed or canceled in the past year. In the last five years, prices for steel have increased over 50%. This increase along with the rise in other expenses has led developers to argue that previously agreed upon prices are no longer reasonable. The US offshore wind industry is estimated to be at least a decade behind more established markets such as those in the UK and China, due to an underdeveloped supply chain and laws restricting the access of non-US built ships to US ports. Despite these setbacks, however, signs of progress are visible, including the onset of production at the nation’s second-largest wind farm, Vineyard Wind, in early January. Offshore wind turbines are also becoming larger and more efficient, with the newest models reaching 15 megawatts each, and floating models are also gaining attention. Wind farms have the potential to significantly bolster the cleansing of the world’s electrical supply with 40% of the global population living within 60 miles of the ocean. If the industry cannot overcome its growing pains soon, however, the future of offshore wind may continue to be vexed.

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