Solar energy plays a vital role in AI data centers, reducing their carbon footprint, cutting energy costs, and increasing sustainability with clean, renewable power solutions.

Solar Power Can Address Rising Water Concerns from Artificial Intelligence: How?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries and daily life. However, one overlooked impact of AI’s growth is the rising consumption of water for powering and cooling massive data centers.

At Solaristics, we believe sustainable energy solutions like solar power and solar panels can play a pivotal role in mitigating these environmental challenges.

How Solar Power Can Help Reduce the Growing Water Footprint of AI Data Centers

As AI technologies, including machine learning and deep learning, require enormous computing power, data centers consume massive amounts of electricity.

This electricity generation often depends on water-intensive resources, increasing pressure on freshwater supplies. According to recent studies, AI-related infrastructure could soon use more water annually than entire countries.

How much water is used for AI per day?

More AI means more water. In the US, an average 100-megawatt data center, which uses more power than 75,000 homes combined, also consumes about 2 million liters of water per day, according to an April report on energy and AI from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Why Are Data Centers Using So Much Water?

Data centers—large facilities housing hundreds or thousands of servers—need efficient cooling systems to operate.

Currently, these cooling systems heavily rely on plentiful sources of clean, fresh water, much of which evaporates during the cooling process. This raises concerns, especially in water-scarce regions.

When combined with global water shortages intensified by climate change, the escalating water demand from AI emphasizes the urgent need for sustainable energy and cooling alternatives.

How much water does ChatGPT use for one email?

approximately 519 milliliters

ChatGPT with GPT-4 uses approximately 519 milliliters of water, slightly more than one 16.9-ounce bottle, in order to write one 100-word email, according to original research from The Washington Post and the University of California, Riverside.

Does ChatGPT actually consume water?

Estimates vary, but depending on how many queries are processed, ChatGPT’s total daily water use may exceed 500,000 to 1 million liters globally. This includes water used indirectly for cooling data centers and generating the electricity that powers them.

The Rising Energy Demands of AI

Artificial intelligence has gone from being a niche research area to one of the most impactful forces in modern technology. Today, AI models are used for various activities, from answering questions to driving autonomous vehicles and predicting complex systems.

However, this growth has come at a cost: energy consumption is skyrocketing.

According to recent estimates, by 2030, data centers could account for 16% of total U.S. power consumption, up from 2.5% just a decade earlier.

AI water usage explanation

AI systems, particularly data centers, use significant amounts of water for cooling. Here’s a breakdown of the key points and considerations:

Water Usage in AI Data Centers

Cooling Needs: AI systems generate a lot of heat, and water is used to cool the servers. This is crucial to prevent overheating and maintain efficiency.

AI doesn’t use water to generate energy like hydropower dams do. Instead, water is primarily used in data centers for cooling purposes.

              Types of Cooling Systems:

Open-Loop Systems: Some data centers use open-loop cooling, where water is taken in, used to cool, and then discharged. This can be problematic in water-scarce regions. Some data centers are using open-system water cooling, where they take in water, use it to cool, and dump it afterwards.

Closed-Loop Systems: Many modern data centers use closed-loop systems, which recycle the water. These are more efficient, but can still require 

Closed-Loop Systems: Many modern data centers use closed-loop systems, which recycle the water. These are more efficient but can still require significant energy. Most computer cooling is done with a closed loop. This means you don’t get measurable losses on water volume.

            Environmental Impact

Water Consumption vs. Withdrawal: It’s important to distinguish between water consumption (where water is evaporated or discharged) and water withdrawal (where water is taken from a source but returned).

Consumption is when you remove water from a river or groundwater deposit or some such source, use it, and let it percolate back into the environment.

Regional Impact: The impact of water usage can vary significantly depending on the region. If you build it in the desert and take the last water there, it’s much worse compared to somewhere with lots of water.

The Role of Solar Energy in Reducing AI Data Centers’ Carbon Footprint

AI data centers are the backbone of modern technology, powering everything from chatbots to complex machine-learning models. But this innovation comes at a cost.

These massive facilities consume enormous amounts of energy, contributing to millions of metric tons of carbon emissions each year. As AI continues to grow, so does its electricity demand, raising concerns about sustainability and the environment.

Solar energy offers a clean and renewable solution

The good news? Solar energy offers a clean and renewable solution to help reduce the carbon footprint of AI data centers.

By switching to solar power, data centers can cut emissions, lower energy costs, and support global efforts to fight climate change.

In this article, we’ll explore how solar power can make AI data centers more eco-friendly while also improving long-term savings and reliability.

The Role of Solar Power in tackling AI data centers 

AI data centers are at the heart of innovations in cloud computing, machine learning, and big data, but their surging energy demands pose mounting sustainability challenges.

As global reliance on digital infrastructure grows, so does the urgency to address the environmental consequences, particularly regarding electricity consumption and the associated carbon emissions.

Unlike traditional electricity generation, which often involves water-intensive coal or nuclear plants, solar energy is virtually water-free.

Harnessing electricity through solar panels does not require water for operation, making it an ideal energy source to decrease the overall water footprint of data centers and AI operations.

The Role of Solar Panels in AI Data Centers

Solar panels play a vital role in powering AI data centers by providing clean, renewable energy that cuts costs and emissions.

The role of solar panels in AI data centers is increasingly vital as these facilities face growing energy demands and sustainability challenges. Here are five key points based on recent industry insights:

1. Significantly Reduce Carbon Footprint
   Solar panels provide a clean, renewable energy source that helps AI data centers lower their greenhouse gas emissions, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting global climate goals.
2. Align Power Supply with Peak Demand
   The highest energy consumption for AI data centers typically occurs during daytime hours, which aligns well with peak solar energy generation. This synergy allows centers to maximize direct solar power use during critical periods, enhancing efficiency.
3. Enhance Energy Independence and Reliability
   By generating on-site solar power coupled with battery storage, data centers become less dependent on the grid, offering resilience against outages and energy price volatility.
4. Reduce Operating Costs Over Time
   Although the upfront investment in solar installations is significant, long-term savings accrue through reduced electricity bills and operational expenses. Solar power can offset high commercial rates and improve return on investment.
5. Enable Smart Energy Management through AI Integration
   AI algorithms can optimize solar panel performance by forecasting energy production and demand, improving overall system efficiency, and ensuring a consistent power supply even under variable weather conditions.

The explosive growth in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has created a unique challenge—an unprecedented demand for power. With data centers expanding rapidly to support AI applications, from generative models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Gemini, it has become clear that traditional power sources, primarily reliant on fossil fuels, are not a sustainable solution. 

The environmental and resource costs are immense. However, a promising path forward lies in harnessing solar energy to power the AI revolution. This article explores the opportunities, challenges, and actionable steps for leveraging solar energy to meet AI’s energy demands, ensuring a sustainable and scalable future.

The Rising Energy Demands of AI

Artificial intelligence has gone from being a niche research area to one of the most impactful forces in modern technology. Today, AI models are used for various activities, from answering questions to driving autonomous vehicles and predicting complex systems. However, this growth has come at a cost: energy consumption is skyrocketing.

AI models like ChatGPT require extensive computing power, particularly during both the training and inference phases. Training large language models can take weeks or even months, involving thousands of GPUs or TPUs running continuously. This means that data centers—the backbone of AI infrastructure—consume significant energy resources to keep running. 

According to recent estimates, by 2030, data centers could account for 16% of total U.S. power consumption, up from 2.5% just a decade earlier.

Beyond energy consumption, cooling these facilities is a major issue. AI systems generate substantial amounts of heat, requiring energy-intensive cooling solutions to prevent equipment from overheating. Traditionally, cooling these systems has relied on large quantities of water and electricity, straining both power grids and natural water resources. If AI continues on this path, unchecked power and resource consumption could have dire environmental consequences.

Solar Energy: A Solution for AI’s Power Problem

Solar energy has emerged as one of the most promising renewable energy sources that can be leveraged to meet the growing energy demands of AI. Solar energy systems offer a clean, renewable, and increasingly cost-effective solution to powering the vast networks of servers necessary for AI systems. The potential synergy between solar energy and AI data centers is multi-faceted, addressing both sustainability goals and the operational needs of these facilities

1. Environmental Benefits of Solar Energy Integration

Integrating solar energy into data center power systems offers substantial environmental benefits. Data centers are responsible for high carbon emissions primarily because they rely heavily on fossil fuels such as natural gas. However, solar energy presents a cleaner alternative by providing carbon-free electricity that can be scaled to meet demand.

Many tech giants, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, have already begun shifting toward renewable energy sources, such as solar, as a means to power their operations. Google, for instance, aims to run its data centers on 100% renewable energy by 2030, using a mix of wind, solar, and other renewable sources. This move cuts down on carbon emissions and reduces reliance on non-renewable energy, ensuring that the growth of AI technologies does not come at the cost of worsening climate change.

2. Aligning AI and Solar Energy Supply Patterns

AI operations, particularly training large models, are highly energy-intensive. Fortunately, solar energy’s peak production period aligns well with AI data center requirements. Data centers experience the highest energy demands during daytime hours, which is also when solar panels are most effective at generating power. 

By synchronizing data center operations with solar energy availability, it is possible to maximize the use of direct solar power, reducing dependence on non-renewable sources during peak hours.

In addition, advanced battery storage systems can store excess solar energy generated during the day to be used at night or during periods of low sunlight. By coupling solar farms with battery storage, AI data centers can achieve nearly round-the-clock renewable power, significantly reducing the need for grid electricity and fossil fuel

.

The Energy Consumption in AI Data Centers

• High Power Consumption: AI workloads are far more power-intensive than traditional computing. Supporting advanced models and handling immense datasets requires vast arrays of servers, which consume both significant electricity for operation and additional power for cooling systems.

• Rising Emissions and Operating Costs: A dependence on fossil fuels for electricity in many regions means that the carbon footprint of AI data centers continues to rise, driving concerns around climate change and operational expenses.

• Limited Water and Grid Resources: Data center cooling often strains local water supplies and puts pressure on conventional power grids, especially during peak usage.

Benefits of Solar Panels in Sustainable Data Centers

• Zero Water Usage: Solar panels generate electricity without consuming or polluting water.

• Reduced Carbon Emissions: Solar power cuts greenhouse gas emissions, helping combat climate change, which in turn alleviates water stress.

• Decentralized Power Generation: Solar installations can power data centers more locally, reducing transmission losses.

• Cost-Effectiveness: Falling prices of solar technology make it an economically sound investment.

Solar Panels vs. Traditional Energy: A Water Use Comparison

Energy Source	Water Consumption (Liters per MWh)	Environmental Impact
Coal	1,800 – 2,000	High water use and pollution
Nuclear	1,000 – 1,500	High water use, radioactive waste
Natural Gas	700 – 1,100	Moderate water use
Solar Photovoltaic	<20 (mostly manufacturing phase)	Minimal water use
Wind	Negligible	Minimal water use

(Source: U.S. Department of Energy)

As seen, solar power dramatically cuts water consumption compared to traditional

electricity sources.

Why Your Business Should Consider Solar Energy?

If you run a data center, tech company, or any business with high energy demands, integrating solar power can future-proof your operations against energy and water crises. Complementing solar panels with efficient cooling technologies can help reduce reliance on scarce water resources while lowering your carbon footprint.

Conclusion: Switch to Solar Power for a Water-Secure AI Future

The rise of AI highlights the intricate link between energy use and water consumption worldwide. Using solar power and solar panels to fuel data centers offers a sustainable path forward, cutting water use, reducing emissions, and supporting green technology growth.

At Solaristics, we are committed to providing the latest insights and solutions for integrating clean, renewable energy into AI-driven industries and beyond. Switch to solar today to power your business responsibly while conserving precious water resources.

 (FAQs)

Q1: How much water does AI technology consume?

AI data centers consume large amounts of water primarily for cooling servers. Estimates suggest AI could use several times more water annually than some small countries.

Q2: Can solar panels completely power a data center?

Large-scale solar installations combined with energy storage are increasingly capable of powering data centers either fully or partially, reducing dependency on grid electricity.

Q3: Why do data centers use so much water for cooling?

High-performance servers generate intense heat, requiring efficient cooling systems that often rely on fresh water to prevent overheating and maintain uptime.

Q4: What are alternatives to water cooling for data centers?

Dry cooling, air cooling, and liquid cooling with non-evaporative fluids are alternatives but may have trade-offs like higher energy usage or cost.

Q5: How can businesses benefit from switching to solar power?

Solar power offers lower operating costs, energy independence, environmental compliance, and contributes to corporate sustainability goals while reducing water and carbon footprints.

Ready to reduce your energy and water footprint with solar solutions? Contact Solaristics today and discover the smartest solar panel plans tailored for your business!

Q6: Does ChatGPT use a bottle of water per search?

Perhaps the most popular metric for this dilemma of the 2020s is the 500 ml water bottle for every ~50 questions to Chat GPT.