Energy | The Verge

Jensen Huang talks about AI and climate change like a supervillain

2026-09-24T14:04:44-04:00

As Jensen Huang puts it, AI can help fight climate change - but only if it inflicts "an enormous amount of pain and suffering" first.

The Nvidia CEO discussed the future of energy and AI's impact on our planet in the latest episode of The Ezra Klein Show. But his comments boil down to the same accelerationist spin we've seen from a variety of tech leaders as well as President Donald Trump. They promise that AI will be such a gift to humanity that it's worth the damage caused by data centers currently running on dirty energy.

Huang's extreme level of privilege is glaring

Huang's extreme level of privilege is glaring in the interview. He …

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Data centers are black boxes, but California wants to change that

2026-09-23T14:22:57-04:00

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a slate of bills on Monday that could finally give communities better data - and more say - on how data centers impact their electricity bills and water supply.

As data centers invade a growing number of communities across the US, they've triggered protests over how the infrastructure underpinning AI might stress power grids and local water systems. That's fueled partly by concerns about how difficult it is to see just how much electricity or water they're actually gobbling up. California's new disclosure rules won't offer a full picture, but starting next year, data center operators will have to start s …

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Humans, not rogue AI, are still the biggest cybersecurity risk to energy systems

2026-09-19T16:28:15-04:00

Before recent high-profile hacks raised the specter of AI possibly "killing all humans," our energy systems were already disturbingly vulnerable to cyberattack - and the risk is growing.

"We were always prey. We were just kind of surviving at the appetite of our predators," Joshua Corman, executive in residence for public safety and resilience at the Institute for Security and Technology (IST), told me last year. At the time, I was preoccupied with a Department of Homeland Security warning that Iranian actors and sympathizers could target the US with cyberattacks.

Last week, I called Corman up to chat about recent incidents of rogue AI a …

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Virginia governor creates an AI task force and moves to restrain data centers

2026-09-18T15:09:19-04:00

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered the state government to take steps that could empower local communities to have a larger say in data center development and slow down approvals in a state that is already home to the data center capital of the world.

Executive Order 22 bans executive branch officials from signing nondisclosure agreements for data center projects, requires expedited noise regulations, and requires a review of backup-generation operations used by data centers, among other requirements. The order also establishes an AI task force responsible for evaluating how the state government can address risks to Virginians like wo …

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Trump throws out power plant climate pollution rules

2026-09-14T16:29:48-04:00

The Environmental Protection Agency announced its plans today to kill any remaining standards on how much greenhouse gas pollution power plants are allowed to emit in the US. The move will only make electricity dirtier as AI, electric vehicles, and a revival of domestic manufacturing drive up power demand.

The EPA's proposal today is a major escalation of President Donald Trump's efforts to promote fossil fuels while making it easier to build out energy-hungry data centers. Environmental and consumer advocates, meanwhile, are fighting back - arguing that Trump's deregulation spree comes with higher costs for the environment, public health, …

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EcoFlow makes the miniature power station even smaller

2026-09-08T09:21:09-04:00

The River 260 Gen4 (on the table) powering a portable fridge, Starlink Mini, and charging a phone. | Image: EcoFlow

If you're in the market for a tiny power station that punches well above its size and weight, then have a look at EcoFlow's new fourth-generation River series.

The River 260 Gen4 features a 256Wh capacity battery while the 520 Gen4 packs in 512Wh - storing about 2.5x and 5x the energy of the largest airline-approved power banks, respectively. Better yet, the batteries are built using longer-lasting LFP chemistry that's far less volatile. The River 260 Gen4 features four USB ports, and 300W of max continuous output delivered out its lone AC jack. The River 500 Gen4 features the same USB port selection but offers a pair of AC jacks good for …

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DIY plug-in solar gains momentum in the US

2026-09-07T07:37:45-04:00

EcoFlow’s high-end, weatherproof, plug-in solar kit with integrated battery. | Image: EcoFlow

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on e-bikes, power stations, and how to work anywhere, follow Thomas Ricker. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.

How it started

With a deep breath, I took the cable seething with 800W of solar power and plugged it directly into a standard wall jack in my home. Nothing sparked, nothing smoked, and by the end of that sunny summer day, my electricity bill had dropped to nearly $0.

As unnerving as it sounds to treat a common household power outlet like a power input, these DIY plug-in s …

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Bluetti launches ‘e-generator’ to take on noisy, stinky, polluting gas generators

2026-09-04T08:10:36-04:00

Works great on a sunny day. | Image: Bluetti

Bluetti doesn't want you to call the Pioneer 5000 a solar generator (SoGen), even though that's what it is. What makes it slightly different from other large power stations that can be charged off solar - aka, a SoGen - is the dolly cart and up to 18KW of instant surge power available to start heavy equipment like air compressors, water pumps, and industrial motors. It features IP65 resistance to water and dust, and is designed to operate in temperatures from -20°C to 55°C. So, yeah, it's a rugged, powerful SoGen.

Whatever you call it, Bluetti wants you to consider it instead of a gas-powered generator for job sites, events, emergency respo …

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Tim Cook did alright by the environment — but AI could upend his climate legacy

2026-09-01T19:09:19-04:00

As he steps down from his post as Apple CEO today, Tim Cook leaves behind a mostly positive environmental record. As far as billionaire tech moguls and the environment go, Cook will likely be remembered as one of the better ones - certainly far from the worst. But it will become harder for the company to meet the climate goals Cook set in place as Apple tries to catch up in the AI race.

Under his watch, Apple set industry-leading goals for reducing the amount of pollution created by its products and suppliers. It has managed to keep its carbon footprint from growing while other tech giants see their emissions rise with the energy needs of …

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Trump’s EPA wants to let data centers hide their air pollution

2026-08-28T12:28:40-04:00

Just as new data centers face growing backlash from neighboring communities, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is about to make it harder for people to weigh in on any pollution those centers create.

The EPA plans to toss out a federal rule requiring public notice and an opportunity to comment when certain industrial sites apply for an air permit. Advocates warn that the move would allow data center developers and other industries to break ground without giving nearby residents a say, or even a warning that construction is planned.

"You can see why that would be so interesting to an administration that wants to rush through the …

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