ALT A graphic has a background of a blue sky with white clouds. A text box shows a faux post from a WattTime social media account. The WattTime logo icon is in a circle to the left of the WattTime name and the handle @WattTime.org. The text says "stay up to date with the WattTime world by following us @WattTime.org" a logo for the social media app Bluesky is on the bottom of the graphic.
Your AI homework this weekend - listen to Gavin McCormick (@wattTime / @ClimateTRACE) on @scaling_laws.
ClimateTRACE is reshaping how we measure emissions. Their findings are upending tired assumptions and challenging many mistaken narratives.
No spoilers. Give it a listen.
Developing economies are expected to account for the bulk of new energy demand in the coming years.
Many of those regions also have the most #polluting power plants, making them the highest-impact places to build new #renewable energy.
reuters.com/business/energy/…
ALT A promotional graphic for SXSW 2025 featuring Laura Corso as a featured speaker. The design has a yellow and black color scheme with a circular headshot of Laura Corso at the top. Her title, "VP, Strategic Growth," is displayed below her name. The event details are listed: "Location Matters: Optimizing America’s Energy Transition," scheduled for Saturday, March 9, from 2:30 to 3:30 PM at the Hilton Austin, Downtown, Salon A. The SXSW 2025 logo is positioned at the bottom.
A new report from @McKinsey finds that not only does an emissionality-based approach to RE procurement reduce more #emissions, but it also expands renewables more cost-effectively (i.e. faster) compared to an hourly-matching approach to procurement. mckinsey.com/industries/elec…
ALT A bar chart titled "Emission abatement for battery array scenarios, metric tons of CO₂ per year," comparing three battery management strategies: "24/7 power matching," "Economic optimization," and "Emission optimization." The "24/7 power matching" scenario has a small gray bar indicating emissions ranging from -10 to 12 metric tons. The "Economic optimization" scenario has a dark blue bar showing 179 metric tons of CO₂ abatement. The "Emission optimization" scenario has a light blue bar showing the highest abatement at 380 metric tons. The chart is sourced from ComEd anonymized metering data, REsurety LME and LMP data, and the McKinsey Battery Dispatch Model.
If those flexible loads cut their usage at key times it could prevent some fossil fuel plants from being built – great!
Classic demand response (DR) tech can do this in just several hours a year, but what will that flexibility be used for in the other 8,700 hours each year?
Time-shifting that load explicitly to reduce #emissions can be done every day of the year and that can make an even bigger impact on reducing #GHG emissions and other pollution.
Learn more here: watttime.org/solutions/load-…
If new US data centers are powered just by natural gas, they could add an extra 180Mt of CO2 into the atmosphere annually.
We can avert that #climate burden with a few simple strategies. Obviously, it starts with #renewables. But, there’s more to consider, and that is LOCATION.
ALT A graphic featuring a factory with smokestacks emitting dark smoke and a modern data center building. Overlaid text reads: "If powered by natural gas, these new data centers could cause an additional 180 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually."
In addition, where we build data centers matters, and using marginal emissions data to decide where to build can reduce the emissions of a new data center by as much as 50%.
ALT A bar chart comparing CO₂ emissions from data centers in different grid regions. The CO-WY region has significantly higher emissions than Northern CA, with a label indicating "more than 2x the emissions." Overlaid text emphasizes the impact of building data centers on grids with LOWER marginal emissions rates.
WattTime’s @camfassett writes all about the emissions risks of #AI and how we can use marginal emissions data to greatly decrease or avoid the climate burden of data centers in our new blog: watttime.org/news-and-insigh…
ALT A large data center with cooling infrastructure on its exterior. Overlaid text reads: "NEW BLOG - The Emissions Risks of AI Data Center Buildout." A subheading states, "US data center growth could add 400 TWh of new load to the power grid annually."
ALT A speaker graphic for GreenBiz25 has an Image of Eric Nguyen, Chief Product Officer at WattTiime. The featured session is titled "LEVERAGING AI FOR SUPPLY CHAIN DECARBONIZATION" and will take place on Monday, February 10th 9:30am-12:00pm
the explosive growth of data center build-outs, accelerated by AI, threatens emissions reduction goals. i broke down how smart data center siting decisions and flexible computing can minimize climate impact as use of data centers and AI grows @wattTimewatttime.org/news-and-insigh…
The outdated way that #GHGaccounting is used impedes #climate progress, leading companies to think they are doing more good than they are.
ALT A yellow and white graphic reads, "Shouldn't GHG accounting help not hinder climate progress? one small tweak could unlock massive gains." Images of wind mills in grey and yellow and a WattTime logo are below the text.
One slight tweak could help that money flow toward where it will do more good for the world.
Learn more in this paper in Carbon Management by @RBallentine: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.…