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County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

404media.co

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Re: County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

#111

Post by CaliforniaKarl »

jonas21 wrote: post #29

This is in Virgina, which passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020. This mandated that Dominion (the power company) transition to 100% renewable energy by 2045. Personally, I think this is a good thing in the long run, but in the short run, it means that Dominion has had to invest a lot in building out renewable projects that haven't come online yet. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab recently did an analysis on ele…

I'm surprised that the 404 Media article does not mention anything about this. At least, searching for the word "Clean" did not return any results.

Re: County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

#114

Post by axus »

infecto wrote: post #87
LeifCarrotson wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work in industrial manufacturing and automation, several of my customers (those running steel foundries, aluminum die casting, plastic recycling and extrusion, and other power-intensive processes) represent a sizeable fraction of the utility usage in the small towns in which they're located. They often have an individual contract with the utility and participate in load regulation: when you need liquefy a few tons…

It’s a hard to answer because each grid will treat it differently. My own experience when trying to track some of this data down, DCs are largely having to do the same and that’s why a lot of the buildout includes behind the meter generation to make up for it. There is not a good picture in aggregate though so it creates all kinds of narratives.

The gas-powered generators are what makes a data center unpleasant to live by.

Re: County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

#115

Post by nerdralph »

The article didn't include the actual power rates. I think the applicable tariff is $3.316/kW of demand + 16.82c/kWh. https://www.scc.virginia.gov/docketsearch/DOCS/89pc01!.PDF

Compared to my local utility (and most of Canada), the demand charge is low, but the per kWh charge is high. NSPower's general tariff is $9.089/kW + 15.738c/kWh for the first 200/mth, and 12.674c/kWh after that. Equivalent rates in Quebec and Manitoba are about half that. https://www.nspower.ca/your-business/save-money-energy/busin...

Current CAD/USD is 0.7, so subtract 30% for NSPower's rates in USD.

Re: County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

#116

Post by kube-system »

sokoloff wrote: post #36
scottndecker wrote: post #5

If everyone turned off their lights 100% of the time they left their workstation, they could power those additional data centers for about one second.

[flagged]

The statement was rhetorical, not a precise engineering analysis.

Re: County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

#117

Post by conductr »

Liftyee wrote: post #103
conductr wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about just forget about this thread and don’t let it be a major annoyance. It’s a very minor annoyance. It would be a more widespread debate/discussion if so many people were upset by it. At the least, just admit you’re in the minority that are so upset by it and then just live with it anyways. I say that to make a point about magnitude of annoyances. Sure it’s annoying. So are potholes. It does seem like a sligh…

Smarter device would just require a little more cost. Current devices can work with no code, just analog electronics.

If you’re a cost conscious manufacturer, I think you could do it very cheaply these days (cents/unit). The problem is most manufacturers would turn this into a full blown AI capable smart device to justify charging a lot more.

Re: County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

#118

Post by kube-system »

culi wrote: post #26
rdtsc wrote: post #10

The ~spice~ inference must flow. Some of the data centers now run disconnected on gas turbines 24/7, which is better for electricity prices but they can be big nuisance for people living nearby.

It is also often a violation of the Clean Air Act but we don't have good regulation in place to actually hold them accountable

And SCOTUS just today made a ruling that will increase money in politics, so it's not going to get better any time soon.

Re: County with 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

#120

Post by BenjiWiebe »

khuey wrote: post #40
philipwhiuk wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I appreciate 404 media's mission but isn't there enough stupid shit existing naturally in the world Like 37 data centres in a small rural county?

This is suburban Richmond, not a "small rural county".

Just to compare it to my rural county: Henrico county: pop 345,000, 237 sq miles, 1455 population per sq mile Marion county: pop 11,600, 954 sq miles, 12 pop/sq mi.

So it might be a small county but it sure ain't rural!

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