US Energy Department Identifies AI Power Consumption as Key Mission Area

The U.S. Department of Energy considers energy consumption in artificial intelligence technologies a crucial emerging mission area, according to Helena Fu, the Director of the Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies at Energy, nextgov reported.

“This rise in energy demand is something that has been planned for and is needed for the energy goals that we need to be achieving. It's not only coming from the data centers, it's also coming from electrification, it's coming from the fact that manufacturing is coming back to the United States,” Fu said while speaking at an Axios forum.

The department views the increasing demand for automated systems on the power grid as an opportunity to introduce more reliable clean power solutions that are independent of weather conditions, such as solar and wind energy, in collaboration with industry partners.

“We think that this is really a critical golden moment and opportunity to pair the demand from data centers for training AI with many of these companies' commitments to clean firm power to really supercharge the deployment of clean energy,” Fu added.

At the event, Fu further revealed the department is tackling energy challenges posed by AI-enabled computing through internal initiatives like the Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence for Science, Security, and Technology program. 

She highlighted that, in addition to AI, the increasing deployment of other digital services and growing manufacturing activities in the U.S. are significant strains on U.S. power resources.

Fu also disclosed that Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has instructed an advisory board to examine future technology-driven demands on the energy grid during a public briefing scheduled for next week.