American datacenters might be getting dirtier, but at least they'll be efficient

Just when you thought concerns over datacenter power generation in the US couldn't get any worse, the Trump administration gets rid of emissions restrictions on power plants.

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The EPA is also considering getting rid of reporting requirements on small-scale polluters (e.g., datacenters with on-site power generation), meaning all those unrestricted emissions at new bit barns might not even be mentioned to the public.

But hey, at least Nvidia is riding to the rescue with some datacenter energy efficiency improvements, as self-serving as they may be for the company's bottom line.

Join host Brandon Vigliarolo, systems editor Tobias Mann, and IT infrastructure reporter Dan Robinson as they discuss these developments and why coal may not come roaring back as a datacenter power source anytime soon.

A lightly edited transcript is included below: Brandon (00:01): Hi everyone and welcome to the latest episode of The Register's Kettle Podcast.

I'm Reg Reporter Brandon Vigliarolo, and this week we have a couple of stories to review on the topic of datacenter power.

AI is driving the construction of massive datacenters around the US, and people are beginning to push back.

But recent moves by the Environmental Protection Agency are threatening to keep more people in the dark while making it easier to pollute in the name of progress.

Some relief might surprisingly enough be coming from AI itself.

And with me to discuss this is Systems Editor Tobias Mann and reporter Dan Robinson.

Welcome to you both.

Tobias Mann (00:35) Good to be here.