Data Centers - NIMBY or YIMBY?

[Moliere]

It does seem to be somewhat of an issue. At least to Utahns. I mean, this shit is hitting the Guardian.





https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...enter-backlash

The power generation is the argument most make, and it’s unfounded if this thing is not tied to the grid and generates its own power based off of natural gas supplied by the Ruby Popeline. The heat and pollution of the power generation is a valid concern, although burning natural gas doesn’t really result in pollution other than CO2. Whether the data center is built and powered in Box Elder county or some other BFE place, it’s going to get built if the returns are there.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Fascinating how the political alignments are mixed on this issue. Taylor Lorenz (of all people!) is out there combating anti-DC misinformation.

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[Clark Addison]

Fascinating how the political alignments are mixed on this issue. Taylor Lorenz (of all people!) is out there combating anti-DC misinformation.

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Yeah, the horseshoe theory used to be this thing that you occasionally saw on some extreme issues. These days things are so crazy that you see all sorts of horseshoe alliances on all sorts of things.

[falafel]

You are implying things I never said. I don't believe Chinese sleeper cells were activated and bused in to complain about the data center. That is what I'm poking fun at.

Ha. C'mon JL, you are missing the funnies for the trees.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Oh no! Look what is going to happen to Provo.

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Before photo is funny. The AI is too dumb to use a real photo of Provo.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Nancy Mace comes out as a Luddite.

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[Jeff Lebowski]

This is so disorienting. Taylor Lorenz out there being the most rational adult in the room. What is going on?

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[Pelado]

This is so disorienting. Taylor Lorenz out there being the most rational adult in the room. What is going on?

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Not familiar with Taylor. Why is she/he/it being rational disorienting?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Not familiar with Taylor. Why is she/he/it being rational disorienting?

She is famous for consistently being a lunatic on progressive causes.

Not too recently she was shaming people for not wearing masks to parties, on airplanes, etc. (see below)
She stated "Luigi Mangione is a morally good man." and praised his supporters
She has complained that NYT only prints conservative opinions
etc.

This was fairly recent:

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I am not the only one baffled by this new version:

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[wally]

Okay i get the NIMBY for datacenters. I also get the concern over the whole AI revolution. The question I need answered is before I can intelligently (LOL!) discuss opinions on data centers is: :"what happens if China dominates the ai datacenter space?"

Much of my opinion falls along lines of whether this puts the U.S. at a significant disadvantage WRT economic/military competitiveness with China. If the AI race is as important as some make it out to be, then I tend to lean toward "we need to make these datacenters happen." If not, then I am fine with all the resistance and forcing a robust discussion.

Additionally, these organized resistance campaigns to big data tend to remind me of the Keystone pipeline dustup. the environmentalists won that one, but now I am seeing some of those same people voicing opinions that the pipeline would have been better than continuing to truck over highways and rail all the energy like we do now.

Too many emotions and not enough actual meaningful discourse as per usual. ANGRIEST PERSON WINS THE ARGUMENT, 'NUFF SAID!

[Green Monstah]

i know next to nothing about fracking and have no argument to make on either side. Are you saying fracking doesn't cause any significant problems, or that the benefits of fracking significantly outweigh the downside risks? I've been under the impression that there are significant environmental and health risks. And yes, more nukes, please.

Like any industrial activity, there are drawbacks and issues.

But fracking lateral wells is now a technology that is over 20 years old, and it has withstood scrutiny. It's not perfect, and seismicity is an issue, but fracking is only 1/2 to blame. My understanding is that much of the seismicity issues are due to water disposal wells, and not fracking. With the industry's focus on recycling more produced water (rather than injecting it in disposal wells), hopefully, there will be some relief there as well.

Bottom line the predicted gloom and doom never materialized. And it has unlocked massive domestic resources that could power the country for generations if necessary.

[Moliere]

Like any industrial activity, there are drawbacks and issues.

But fracking lateral wells is now a technology that is over 20 years old, and it has withstood scrutiny. It's not perfect, and seismicity is an issue, but fracking is only 1/2 to blame. My understanding is that much of the seismicity issues are due to water disposal wells, and not fracking. With the industry's focus on recycling more produced water (rather than injecting it in disposal wells), hopefully, there will be some relief there as well.

Bottom line the predicted gloom and doom never materialized. And it has unlocked massive domestic resources that could power the country for generations if necessary.

I’d actually say that disposal wells are much more than half of the seismically problem, and I probably am the board expert on produced water disposal wells

[Green Monstah]

I’d actually say that disposal wells are much more than half of the seismically problem, and I probably am the board expert on produced water disposal wells

But the injection wells are necessary because of fracking. But from a proximate causation perspective, yes, disposal is the culprit.

[Green Monstah]

Put my down as as a YIYBY.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Growing momentum to have a public referendum on the Stratos Data Center where Box Elder residents will vote to override county decision. By golly, the Luddite NIMBY crowd might actually pull this off.