How is AI’s Energy Demand JUst Like a Bunch of Horse Manure?
In the 1890s, cities faced a mounting urban crisis: the “Great Horse Manure Crisis.” With horses essential to city life, New York and other growing cities saw streets clogged by literal tons of waste, raising severe health concerns and creating a nearly insurmountable urban planning issue. The introduction of the automobile alleviated this crisis, ushering in new infrastructure and reshaping urban life. This historical example, described in 99% Invisible’s article on the crisis, demonstrates how technology can pivot society toward innovative solutions.
Today, AI data centers introduce a similar strain on urban infrastructure—this time in terms of energy consumption. These centers, projected to account for up to 10-15% of U.S. electricity by 2030, increasingly stress power grids. According to research from the U.S. Department of Energy, the reliance on fossil fuels to meet this demand raises concerns for carbon emissions and grid reliability, particularly during peak hours.
Solar energy offers a promising, modern ‘automotive’ solution to the horse-drawn carriage issues that AI server farms are becoming for us. By powering AI data centers with solar energy, cities could reduce emissions, decentralize power needs, and bolster grid stability. Locally generated solar power, especially with advanced battery storage, could help supply AI centers’ constant power needs, easing grid strain and advancing sustainability. This approach could drive the AI industry toward cleaner energy and a greener future, similar to how automobiles transformed cities in the past.
Just as technology provided relief for 19th-century cities facing pollution and waste from horses, solar energy could meet the challenges posed by AI. History shows the potential for transformative solutions, and the push toward solar energy could be a critical step in ensuring a resilient and sustainable energy future for our cities. But the time to act is now. The incentives are there, the equipment is ready, and the grid is begging for it.
Sources:
99% Invisible. "The Great Horse Manure Crisis of 1894." 99percentinvisible.org
U.S. Department of Energy. “Electricity Use and Renewable Integration for AI Data Centers.”