Data centre power use ‘to surge six-fold in 10 years’
数据中心用电量“ 10 年内激增 6 倍”
The boom in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing will drive a spike in energy use, the National Grid has predicted.
国家电网预测，人工智能和量子计算的繁荣将推动能源使用到达尖峰。
Both rely on data centres – warehouses full of computer systems.
两者都依赖于数据中心——充满计算机系统的仓库。
Chief executive John Pettigrew said the power those data centres use would increase six-fold in the next decade.
首席执行官 John Pettigrew 表示，这些数据中心使用的电力在未来十年将增长六倍。
He said the grid was becoming “constrained” and “bold action” was needed to create a network able to cope with “dramatically” growing demand.
他表示，电网正变得“受限”，需要“大胆行动”来创建一个能够应对“急剧”增长的需求的网络。
“Future growth in foundational technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing will mean larger scale, energy-intensive computing infrastructure,” Mr Pettigrew said.
佩蒂格鲁表示：“人工智能和量子计算等基础技术的未来增长将意味着更大规模、能源密集型的计算基础设施。”。
The National Grid boss said in a speech on Tuesday, shared on LinkedIn, that now was “a pivotal moment” for grid transformation – with rising demand for energy-hungry technologies and more people opting for heat pumps or electric cars.
这位国家电网公司的老板周二在 LinkedIn 上分享的一次演讲中表示，现在是电网转型的“关键时刻”，对能源匮乏技术的需求不断增加，越来越多的人选择热泵或电动汽车。
“Today, just like in the 1950s, we find ourselves with a network that’s constrained,” he said.
他说：“今天，就像 20 世纪 50 年代一样，我们发现自己的网络受到了限制。”。
“Demand on the grid is growing dramatically, and forecast to double by 2050 as heat, transport and industry continue to electrify.”
“对电网的需求正在急剧增长，预计到 2050 年，随着供暖、运输和工业的持续供电，需求将翻一番。”
The high-voltage transmission network of cables and pylons that make up the UK’s “supergrid” is now more than 70 years old.
构成英国“超级电网”的电缆和输电塔高压输电网络已经有 70 多年的历史了。
To achieve net zero emissions by 2050 in line with global targets, grid operators are under pressure to deliver upgrades to current infrastructure that can meet higher consumer demand for electricity in future and do so sustainably by connecting to renewable energy sources.
为了在 2050 年前实现与全球目标一致的净零排放，电网运营商面临着升级现有基础设施的压力，这些基础设施可以满足未来更高的消费者电力需求，并通过连接可再生能源实现可持续发展。
We are at “a moment in time that requires innovative thinking and bold actions to create a transmission network for tomorrow’s future,” Mr Pettigrew said.
佩蒂格鲁表示，我们正处于“一个需要创新思维和大胆行动的时刻，为明天的未来创建一个传输网络”。
Power hungr
能源匮乏
Most observers agree that whatever that future looks like, data centres will be a part of it.
大多数观察人士一致认为，无论未来是什么样子，数据中心都将是其中的一部分。
They have become integral to our modern lives and technologies, operating as a physical home to our digital information stored in the so-called “cloud” and other forms of IT equipment that power services and platforms.
它们已经成为我们现代生活和技术不可或缺的一部分，成为存储在所谓“云”和其他形式的 IT 设备中的数字信息的物理家园，为服务和平台提供动力。
But all that computing power comes at an environmental cost. Some studies have warned that the AI industry alone could consume as much energy as a country the size of the Netherlands by 2027.
但所有这些计算能力都是以环境为代价的。一些研究警告说，到 2027 年，仅人工智能行业的能源消耗量就可能相当于荷兰那么大的国家。
The sector has been enjoying an economic boom after the launch of chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and image-making tools such as Midjourney.
在 OpenAI 的 ChatGPT 等聊天机器人和 Midtravel 等图像制作工具推出后，该行业一直在享受经济繁荣。
Concern over their energy use and demands on infrastructure has increased in recent years.
近年来，人们越来越关注他们的能源使用和对基础设施的需求。
Official data showed that in the Republic of Ireland, which is home to the European headquarters of several big tech firms such as Google and Facebook-parent Meta, data centres accounted for nearly a fifth of all electricity used in 2022.
官方数据显示，在爱尔兰共和国，数据中心占 2022 年用电量的近五分之一。爱尔兰共和国是谷歌和脸书母公司 Meta 等几家大型科技公司的欧洲总部所在地。
The amount of electricity being used by data centres in the country has risen by 400% since 2015 and ignited debate about capacity.
自 2015 年以来，该国数据中心的用电量增长了 400% ，引发了关于容量的争论。
Meanwhile, quantum computers, which process data differently to regular computers and can complete complex calculations very quickly, are still mostly being used experimentally to see what they can do.
与此同时，量子计算机处理数据的方式与普通计算机不同，并且可以非常快速地完成复杂的计算，目前仍主要用于实验，看看它们能做什么。
But it is hoped in future they could secure scientific breakthroughs and advance secure methods of communication.
但人们希望在未来他们能够获得科学突破，并推进安全的通信方法。
原文：https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-68664182
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