Tech Companies Seize The Mantle To Lower America’s Emissions

In a major boost for clean energy production, Amazon announced yesterday that it signed three new agreements to support the development of nuclear energy projects, including the construction of several new Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). This follows important announcements by Google and Microsoft.

Years from now, these actions are likely to be seen as the tipping point for when America got serious about reducing emissions in a scientific, cost-effective way.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, nuclear power is America’s largest source of emission-free power, accounting for 48 percent of such power in 2023 and 19 percent of all electricity generated.

However, most nuclear power plants in the U.S. are more than 40 years old and already being used to capacity. And while there has been a flurry of innovation in developing new forms of nuclear electricity, such as the SMRs, deployment has proved challenging.

In a separate U.S. Department of Energy announcement yesterday, the Biden Administration made clear that SMRs and nuclear power are essential to America’s energy future.  

“Revitalizing America’s nuclear sector is key to adding more carbon-free energy to the grid and meeting the needs of our growing economy, from AI and data centers to manufacturing and healthcare,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

“Next-generation nuclear energy will play an important role in building the clean power sector of the future,” said Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta.

Tech companies are seeking large amounts of electricity from SMRs and agreements with traditional nuclear power plants. In doing so, they honor their net-zero carbon pledges, now and in the future, while ensuring there is sufficient clean electricity for AI and data centers.

Being among the first ones to use power from SMRs, tech companies will likely also be the catalyst for the widespread adoption of this technology. Relatedly, AI can also be integral to research efforts that will make all forms of energy production and use cleaner and more efficient. This benefits the U.S. economy and the environment while strengthening our role as the world’s premier tech leader.