University of Houston engineers have discovered a way to cool semiconductors and release heat three times more efficiently — a breakthrough they say could cut energy and water usage as new AI data centers spread across Texas.
Hadi Ghasemi is among researchers at the University of Houston who are trying to tackle the energy “trilemma”: the challenge to make energy affordable, reliable and sustainable. Growing public pushback against data centers has largely centered around affordability and sustainability, as the facilities are expected to drive major electricity demand in the coming years. The data centers in Texas are also driving a power plant boom.
“We can have a growth of the AI, but with a sustainable approach and less energy-intensive approach,” said Ghasemi, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor. “It’s really important, especially for Houston, because we are the energy city of the world and we are supplying the energy for all of these data centers.”…