Data centre energy consumption in South Africa could power 2.9 million homes

[mylesillidge]

South Africa's data centres could power 2.9 million homes

The power consumed by South Africa's data centres in a day could power over 2.9 million homes due to the extreme energy requirements of these information strongholds.

A data centre (DC) is a facility that houses the physical infrastructure necessary for hosting and operating IT systems, storage, servers, and network equipment.

 

[DARoodt]

So now what? Do they want us to forego the data centres?
Good luck to that, then we may as well go back to the 1960s. Or perhaps that's what Eskom would want?

 

[IamNoone]

 

[Blackhand]

So now what? Do they want us to forego the data centres?
Good luck to that, then we may as well go back to the 1960s. Or perhaps that's what Eskom would want?

It doesn't sound like they want to get rid of them, but force them to become more self-sufficient. Of course, this costs a lot of money, cost that will be passed onto customers.

Hosting in a South African DC is already a pretty unattractive proposition, that will make it even less attractive.

 

[Fuzzbox]

And we could all live in MUD HUTS.

 

[My_King]

So now what? Do they want us to forego the data centres?
Good luck to that, then we may as well go back to the 1960s. Or perhaps that's what Eskom would want?

I want to see the electricity bill.

Surely any company selling a product wants business.

So if the data centres are paying then what is the issue here?

Of the so called 2.9 million homes it could power, how many will be paying customers.

...**** eskom

 

[UB40]

Are they mining crypto?

 

[gregmcc]

And? What's your point?

 

[ToxicBunny]

South Africa's data centres could power 2.9 million homes

The power consumed by South Africa's data centres in a day could power over 2.9 million homes due to the extreme energy requirements of these information strongholds.

A data centre (DC) is a facility that houses the physical infrastructure necessary for hosting and operating IT systems, storage, servers, and network equipment.

But the DCs pay for the power, not all of the 2.9m homes would pay, so Eskom is better off providing power to the DCs.

 

[Johnatan56]

To put this into perspective, according to Ecoflow, the average South African household used 210 kWh of power per month or 7 kWh per day.

Cool, but that doesn't link to a study.
I can't find studies that are under 600kWh per month, with most saying 600-1000kWh, with that 1k sounding more correct for a "normal". It's probably more like 600k-1m homes (still a lot, sure, but you can start arguing that for pretty much every business, which is partially why I don't understand load shedding existing for residential).
https://ebe.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/content_migration/ebe_uct_ac_za/1135/files/2021%20Residential%20Electricity%20Consumption%20in%20South%20Africa%20research%20report.pdf you'd have to use the tables page 49ish and compare to what average has, but you'll usually get to more than double that.

 

[Sarg3_ZN]

Cool story bro, but what is the knock-on effect to the economy if the power used by these DC's is diverted to those 2.9 million homes?

 

[DARoodt]

Cool story bro, but what is the knock-on effect to the economy if the power used by these DC's is diverted to those 2.9 million homes?

No online banking
No online accounts at stores
Many e-commerce websites or portals will be offline
And much much more

 

[Sarg3_ZN]

No online banking
No online accounts at stores
Many e-commerce websites or portals will be offline
And much much more

I figured as much and that would probably kill it.

 

[DARoodt]

I figured as much and that would probably kill it.

The masses work in cash anyway so this is what they want, Viva ANC.. viva

 

[Username:]

2.9 million homes could power a datacenter if we were enabled to feed back our excess solar

 

[clickingbuttons]

At least the datacenters pay for their usage.

If 2.9 million homes would actually pay is anyones guess..