The desert sun beats down, and the future of AI data centers, at least according to one startup, might be baking right under it. Exowatt, backed by Sam Altman, is betting big on solar-thermal energy, aiming to power the massive computing needs of AI with, essentially, billions of hot rocks.
It’s a bold vision. The company wants to deliver electricity for a mere one cent per kilowatt-hour. That’s the kind of price that could reshape the energy landscape, especially with the relentless growth of AI and its power-hungry data centers.
The plan, as I understand it, involves using concentrated solar power to heat up those rocks to extreme temperatures. That heat then drives a turbine to generate electricity. Simple in theory, of course. The real challenge, and it’s a significant one, is scaling up production. Exowatt needs to get to one million units per year.
Earlier this month, a TechCrunch article outlined the plan, highlighting the ambitious goals. The company hasn’t exactly been shy about its aims. It’s a race against time, in a way. The demand for AI computing power is growing exponentially, and the energy needed to run those systems is already a major concern. Finding sustainable and affordable solutions is, well, critical.
Meanwhile, the details are still emerging. The specific location of their operations is still not fully clear, though the American Southwest seems like a likely candidate. The timeline is also a bit vague, but the pressure is on. The AI boom isn’t waiting.
“We believe this technology can be a game-changer,” said an Exowatt spokesperson, quoted in the TechCrunch piece. It’s hard not to feel a bit of that optimism, too. For once.
It all seems a bit futuristic, still. Hot rocks powering the future. But then again, the future has a way of arriving faster than we expect.
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