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flashman13

(2,563 posts)
1. This is a no brainer. By law these data centers must be required to produce their own electricity.
Sun May 17, 2026, 08:20 PM
17 hrs ago

Also, they must be put on strict water rationing. They will be allowed to take only small fixed amounts of water from local surface or subsurface sources. They must have on site facilities to recycle what water they are allowed. They can built cooling towers just like power stations to cool the water. There is absolutely no reason why the general public should be forced to support and subsidize these billionaires in their mad AI projects.

erronis

(24,513 posts)
3. Work as well as demanding that all politicians sent their children to fight in their wars......
Sun May 17, 2026, 08:43 PM
17 hrs ago

Stargazer99

(3,563 posts)
5. Recently one of the Trumps was considered too tall for service-just how dumb is the public?
Sun May 17, 2026, 09:11 PM
16 hrs ago

BeneteauBum

(773 posts)
6. Great idea
Sun May 17, 2026, 09:13 PM
16 hrs ago

They would have to become much more energy/water efficient or downsize.

Peace ☮️

Melon

(1,689 posts)
7. Solar needs to be cheaper than electricity from the generation plant. Make it so electric isn't required to be sold
Sun May 17, 2026, 09:14 PM
16 hrs ago

Back into the grid a then repurchased from the grid. That’s the case today. Allow plans to run electricity direct from solar to plant. You don’t need to force anything if you remove the regulations that prevent it from occurring naturally.

Aussie105

(8,168 posts)
8. The aim of data centres is to . . .
Sun May 17, 2026, 09:20 PM
16 hrs ago

make plebs like you and me sit at night in a cold house, warmed only by the furniture you have cut up for a fire, and use your phone by candelight.
And don't forget to fire up that generator occasionally to keep your phone charged!

And all just to watch some fake AI stuff some idiots put on U-toob, tickle-tockle, etc.

Civilization is unwinding itself, I swear!

AI centers are good for business, some say.

Sure, just not the business of average folk getting on in life.

Warpy

(114,662 posts)
9. Our solar farms here in NM are less ambitious
Sun May 17, 2026, 09:34 PM
16 hrs ago

The electric company is leasing vacant lots here and there and putting up small, meter square solar panels on wooden posts, space between them allowing sun to reach the ground so local wildlife and plants can survive.

As of last year, solar was giving us something like 42% of our power. There are also wind farms supplying more.

This state doesn't have much water, but we've got sunshine.

misanthrope

(9,626 posts)
14. Every parking lot should be covered in solar panels
Mon May 18, 2026, 01:23 AM
12 hrs ago

It generates electricity, reduces urban heat island effect and shades the vehicles.

mopinko

(73,924 posts)
10. looks like plenty of roof space to me.
Sun May 17, 2026, 10:07 PM
15 hrs ago

even if they dont supply every kw, they shd b required to cover the roof, and the parking lot.

hell, all new construction shd.

EdmondDantes_

(2,060 posts)
11. While I agree they should be using solar
Sun May 17, 2026, 10:26 PM
15 hrs ago

The water catchment wouldn't make a dent in their water usage.

flvegan

(66,519 posts)
15. Who is going to "make them" do this? Nobody.
Mon May 18, 2026, 01:32 AM
12 hrs ago

And if we do "make them" and they then don't, what's the consequence? A fine? Wow. In the time it takes some municipality to write up the fine, the data center has already made that money and then some.

So again I ask, what's the consequence?

indusurb

(346 posts)
16. There is a data center being built in the next county
Mon May 18, 2026, 01:53 AM
11 hrs ago

The solar farm that is being built in my county will take up approximately 3 square miles, all for one data center. Being that this is in the Midwest, that's three square miles of good farmland not producing crops, three square miles that wildlife, deer, foxes, birds, etc. won't be able to live on, three barren square miles of nothing but panels.

Don't get me wrong, I love solar, my wife and I will be integrating solar into the new house we're building. But concentrated solar panels is and will be a bane on our environment. Instead of having concentrated solar farms eating up good land, decentralize the power production onto roofs and other such places. Oh, and let's ditch the data centers along with that.

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