6.24 - Columbia’s David Sandalow on How AI Is Reshaping Energy and the Grid
“The growth of artificial intelligence and the transition to clean energy are two of the most important drivers of economic activity in the world today,” Sandalow says.
Major research shaping the conversationSandalow recently led two large research projects with the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF). The Sustainable Data Centers Roadmap examines how to reduce the environmental footprint of data centers across energy, water, and land use. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap explores how AI can be used to cut greenhouse gas emissions across multiple sectors of the economy.
He describes the work as addressing a “simple question – how do you use AI to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?”
Sandalow highlights two areas where AI can play a powerful role in climate mitigation.
First is power system optimization. AI and advanced sensors can help operators safely increase the amount of electricity flowing through existing transmission lines, allowing more renewable power on the grid without waiting years for new infrastructure.
“With AI tools and modern sensors, we can dramatically increase the amount of electricity we put through transmission lines safely,” he explains.
Second is materials innovation. AI can simulate millions of experiments virtually, helping scientists discover new battery chemistries, advanced steels, and geothermal drilling materials much faster than traditional trial-and-error.
“Thomas Edison spent a year testing different materials for the light bulb,” Sandalow notes. “Today we can simulate a million of those types of experiments in a second.”
That kind of acceleration, he argues, could speed up progress in nuclear, geothermal, and many other clean technologies.
Data centers, water, and explosive power demandAs AI expands, data centers are driving a surge in electricity demand. Sandalow cites estimates suggesting real incremental U.S. demand could reach 110 to 130 gigawatts. While some project applications are redundant, he says the overall growth is unprecedented for the power sector.
On water use, he notes that data centers represent a tiny share of global water consumption but can have meaningful local impacts. New closed-loop cooling systems, however, are dramatically reducing water requirements and, in some cases, make restrooms use a larger draw than server cooling.
Power prices and regional differences
Sandalow explains that rising electricity prices across the country do not stem from a single cause. In the large Mid-Atlantic and Midwest power market that stretches from the East Coast to the Midwest, growing data center demand has contributed to higher prices. In other parts of the country, however, increases are being driven by very different factors — including wildfire mitigation in the West, cost overruns at new nuclear plants in the Southeast, and widespread grid upgrades in many regions.
To better understand these regional differences, Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy is launching new research focused on how power demand, infrastructure investment, and policy are shaping electricity prices market by market.
Clean energy momentum and emerging technologies
Despite the challenges, Sandalow expresses optimism about the pace of clean energy deployment, particularly for solar and storage. He points to extraordinary growth in China, where annual solar installations now exceed the entire historical deployment of the United States, and notes that electric vehicles continue to gain market share globally.
He also sees strong long-term potential in nuclear and geothermal energy, both of which currently enjoy rare bipartisan support in the United States. He also believes carbon capture could become a crucial tool, especially as innovation brings costs down. He draws a parallel to the shale revolution as an example of how U.S. ingenuity can transform an industry.
Supply chains, China, and global cooperation
Sandalow is candid about the difficulties of U.S.–China cooperation on climate and technology at the government level, citing deep mutual mistrust. At the same time, he stresses the importance of maintaining nongovernmental dialogue and strengthening partnerships with allies such as the United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan.
On supply chains and critical minerals, he believes the U.S. is moving in the right direction but needs to move much faster through accelerated permitting, long-term purchase guarantees, and closer collaboration with allies.
Where to learn more
Sandalow invites listeners to explore: