Part 9/11:
A potential risk highlighted was the explosive growth in energy demand driven by artificial intelligence. Kalcanis explained that AI workloads could impose an unprecedented energy burden, but solar and batteries are uniquely positioned as scalable solutions. Since all solar energy originates from the sun, their capacity is effectively unlimited, unlike finite fossil fuels.
He cited the Kardashev scale—a theoretical measure of a civilization’s energy harnessing capacity—to underline the vast potential of solar energy. As AI progresses and requires more computational power, the demand for sustainable, abundant energy becomes even more critical, reinforcing the case for continuous investment in solar and batteries.