Source: Glonui.

As the global datacenter's electrical utilities demand continues to rise, technology companies are seeking cleaner and more reliable energy solutions.

On Monday local time, Google announced a milestone agreement to collaborate with Kairos Power to purchase energy to support its datacenter and ai needs.

This collaboration marks a significant bet by Google in the nuclear energy sector, showcasing the potential of small modular reactor (SMR) technology in the global energy market.

A new bet on clean energy

Google's collaboration with Kairos Power is the world's first enterprise-level agreement aimed at purchasing electricity from multiple SMRs. Under the agreement, Google will purchase a total of 500 megawatts of electricity from Kairos Power, sourced from 6 to 7 small modular reactors.

These reactors are much smaller in scale than traditional commercial reactors, but the power behind them is not to be underestimated. Kairos Power's SMR technology uses molten fluoride salt as a coolant instead of traditional water cooling systems, which could bring revolutionary changes to the nuclear energy industry.

Michael Terrell, Google's Director of Energy & Climate, emphasized the importance of nuclear energy in supporting Google's clean growth and ai advancements. He stressed that the grid needs these clean, reliable energy sources to support the development of these technologies.

Google's goal is to achieve 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030, and nuclear power, as a round-the-clock carbon-free energy source, is crucial to achieving this goal.

This partnership also reflects the rapid growth of global data center electricity consumption. According to Goldman Sachs' estimates, the electricity consumption of US data centers is expected to double between 2023 and 2030, requiring about 47 gigawatts of new generation capacity. Google has already signed 115 renewable energy purchase agreements totaling 14 gigawatts, dedicated to promoting new nuclear energy developments to support its net-zero and 24/7 carbon-free energy goals.

Kairos Power, a company supported by the Department of Energy, was established in 2016. The company has started construction of its Hermes low-power demonstration reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Kairos Power's SMR technology not only provides smaller and more flexible power supply but also aims to reduce construction costs and increase safety.

Google's investment is not only a long-term investment in its own energy needs but also an acceleration of the commercialization process of SMR technology. By purchasing electricity from multiple SMRs, Google is sending a strong demand signal to the market, which could drive the development of the entire industry. Mike Laufer, CEO and Co-Founder of Kairos Power, stated that Google's early commitment is crucial to accelerating the commercialization of advanced nuclear energy.

Tech giants' nuclear ambitions

Despite the enormous potential of SMR technology, it also faces some challenges.

Critics point out that SMRs may generate long-lived nuclear waste, for which there is currently no final storage solution. In addition, the cost-effectiveness of SMRs is also subject to some doubts as they may not achieve economies of scale of large-scale facilities.

However, the partnership between Google and Kairos Power paints a bright future for nuclear power. This collaboration not only helps Google achieve its clean energy goals but may also drive the entire energy industry towards cleaner and more reliable energy solutions.

With the global demand for sustainable energy continuously increasing, Google's investment in this may become an important turning point in the development of nuclear energy technology.

As the electrical utilities demand of global datacenters continues to grow, this collaboration could be a model for future energy solutions, inspiring other technology and energy companies.

In fact, besides Google, other technology giants like Microsoft and Oracle are also actively exploring the potential of nuclear power. The potential involvement of Microsoft and Oracle further highlights the potential of nuclear power in the technology industry, heralding a more diverse and sustainable energy future.

Editor / jayden