Meta's plan for nuclear datacenter reportedly undone by bees

2 weeks ago

A uncommon bee type has been recovered connected Meta’s projected datacenter site
Meta wants to proceed maintaining nett zero GHG emissions
Regulatory hurdles whitethorn besides person contributed to nan project’s cancellation

Meta’s efforts to build a caller nuclear-powered AI datacenter person travel to an extremity aft scientists recovered a uncommon type of bee connected nan projected site.

According to study by nan Financial Times., nan problem reportedly came to ray erstwhile institution CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed nan pollinators were coming connected nan tract during an all-hands meeting.

Because nan area must now beryllium protected, building regulations person prevented nan societal media elephantine from getting entree to nan land, fto unsocial its civilized obligations not to displace nan uncommon species.

Bees, Mark?

Besides nan find of nan important species, nan Financial Times report cites 2 unnamed sources who judge further regulatory hurdles besides contributed to nan determination to terminate nan plan. Specific specifications surrounding nan location of nan tract person not been revealed.

However, nan bad news (or bully news if you look astatine it from an biology perspective) comes arsenic Meta looks to earnestly grow its infrastructure to support up pinch nan request for AI tools. The California institution expects to rack up $38 cardinal successful superior expenses successful 2024. AI and datacenter projects are apt to dress up a ample information of that sum.

By utilizing atomic energy, nan projected datacenter would person helped Meta trim its c footprint. Although atomic tin beryllium controversial, it’s a carbon-free power assets that’s being explored by nan likes of Microsoft and Amazon arsenic portion of a world effort to tackle nan precocious power demands of AI datacenters.

Although there’s ever room for improvement, Meta proudly proclaimed successful its 2024 Sustainability Report that it has maintained nett zero greenhouse state emissions since 2020, acknowledgment successful portion to its 11,700MW portfolio of renewable energy.

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The study adds: “Meta designs and operates immoderate of nan astir sustainable information centers successful nan industry… We attack information halfway sustainability from nan crushed up—from creation and building to operations by prioritizing power efficiency, renewable energy, h2o stewardship and responsibly managing nan extremity of life of our equipment.”