Summary
Googlehas announced a new agreement to purchase electricity from small modular reactors (SMRs), an emerging next-generation nuclear technology. This deal marks the first corporate agreement of its kind and signals a new frontier in clean energy to powerGoogle’sAI ventures, with the reactors expected to go live by 2030.
Google has regularly reiterated its commitment to clean energy, with the company currently pursuing the ambitious goals it set in 2020 to achieve year-round carbon-free energy by 2030. However, as the tech giant’s operations expand, particularly in energy-intensivefields like artificial intelligence, the demand for reliable and sustainable power has unquestionably increased. Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have even risen by 48% in the last five years, which is why nuclear energy is the need of the hour for the company to stick to its goals.
Kairos Power is a California-based engineering firm developing SMRs that are designed to be cheaper, smaller, and faster to build than traditional nuclear reactors. Solar and wind energy often fluctuate depending on the time of day and weather conditions, a problem Kairos' new-age reactors seek to rectify. Arecent Google Blog postoutlines that the company’s deal with Kairos Power entails buying energy from multiple SMRs, with the first of them expected to be operational by 2030 and more reactors built through 2035. The energy generated from these reactors could help bring up to 500MW of carbon-free electricity to US power grids.
Google’s Nuclear Energy Deal Could Be Revolutionary if it Pans Out
Companies jumping on the nuclear energy bandwagon isn’t new, with evenGenshin Impactdeveloper miHoYo having invested in nuclear fusionin recent years. What sets Google’s deal apart from others, though, is the investment in next-generation nuclear power as opposed to traditional nuclear plants. SMRs are roughly one-tenth to one-quarter the size of conventional reactors, making them easier (and potentially cheaper) to build and site. Other tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft have also ventured into nuclear energy, but their focus has been on acquiring power from existing or revived conventional nuclear facilities.
Much like theill-fated Google Stadia, the company is yet again betting on unproven but promising technology, this time in the realm of clean energy. There may still be challenges when it comes to SMRs, especially environmental concerns around uranium mining and waste disposal. But if successful, this deal could mark a turning point, not just for Google but for the energy industry at large. One can only hope SMRs don’t go the way of Stadia.
Google is a computing company that began in 1998 and has since grown into the most popular Search Engine in the world. They’ve grown their brand to include other assets like Smartphones and even gaming consoles.
