Meta is looking for partners to achieve its sustainability goals and green AI innovations. The technology company wants to achieve 1-4 gigawatts of new nuclear generation capacity in the U.S.
Meta announced in a press release that it is looking for partners to help it meet its AI and sustainability goals. In doing so, the technology company joins Amazon, Microsoft and Google, who are also setting their sights on this less-polluting source of energy. The technology company is more specifically interested in small, modular reactors (SMRs), although the commercial viability of these is estimated to be in the 2030s.
Sustainability Goals
The development of new AI tools is an energy-intensive process. Big Tech companies are increasingly looking for ways to power data centers without compromising their sustainability goals. President Joe Biden agreed in the U.S. to roughly halve greenhouse gas emissions from peak levels by 2030. This was under the Paris agreement, which Trump now wants to move away from.
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“We believe nuclear energy will play a critical role in the transition to a cleaner, more reliable and diversified power grid,” Meta’s announcement reads.” That is why we announced today that we will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify nuclear power developers to help us achieve our AI and sustainability goals.”
Small, modular reactors
Meta is specifically interested in small modular reactors (SMRs). Developers are currently working on this technology, which would be much easier to install, also reducing costs. However, these modular reactors are not yet on the commercial market. They are not expected to be until the 2030s.
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“We believe that working with partners who will ultimately authorize, design, engineer, finance, build and operate these power plants will provide the long-term thinking needed to accelerate nuclear technology,” Meta said. The technology company aims to add 1-4 gigawatts of new nuclear generation capacity in the U.S. by the 2030s.