This approach allows the user to enter the
A predictive model that allows them to determine the solar energy of a geographic region during a certain time frame.
computing market and, as a result, increase the value of their surplus energy.
broker is the central element of the system
This new software makes
The broker only wakes up the machines when there is demand for computing power and when there is enough energy for them to function.
the most beneficial decision for the user regarding what to do with surplus energy, ie, whether to use it for
computing or inject into the electrical grid.
They include iExec – a decentralised marketplace for cloud resources – allowing individuals or businesses with extra computing capacity to lease it out to the iExec marketplace for payment. Vilajosana’s concept is a device called a ‘broker ‘, to
“If all of us, instead of installing the minimum solar equipment, install a little bit more, we can generate excess energy to spread all over the country. We can then mitigate the impact of large infrastructures and, at the same
time, the overhead on this digital world will be smaller.” Vilajosana sees a consolidation of utilities, which is already starting to happen – where energy, heating and digital systems converse. This also brings opportunities for conservation and distribution of resources, from computing power to water usage. He also looks forward to making cloud computing a more local affair. “Amazon, Google and
be installed in the home and connected to a photovoltaic system. It monitors energy being produced and forecasts future availability. The device
VILAJOSANA SEES A CONSOLIDATION OF UTILITIES, WHICH IS ALREADY STARTING TO HAPPEN
is also monitoring different computing pools, like iExec, around the world. It compares where the highest return is – selling power back to the grid, or compute power to a pool. Other creative combinations include buying cloud power from a cheaper source, while leasing your node to a place with greater demand. According to Vilajosana, our current cloud computing structure consumes about as much energy per year as a medium-sized industrial country. One source put the total global data centre usage at 200 TWh annually. Spain consumed a total of 250 TWh in 2020.
Microsoft control more than 50% of the cloud computing sector. We saw the same thing in the energy market years ago, with a few utility companies dominating. But now a lot of competitors have appeared, with a different argument. I belong to a cooperative that only sells green energy. So, why not think about the same thing in computing?”
*Martínez, B., and Vilajosana, X. ‘Exploiting the Solar Energy Surplus for Edge Computing‘. IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Computing. (ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9352548)
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