Is Green AI Achievable?

As the UK government begins responding to Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan to become a global leader in AI innovation, with strategic investment in AI zones and data centre infrastructure, the debate intensifies: how do we meet the rising energy demands of AI infrastructure without compromising our green commitments?

In this episode of the AI Adoption Podcast, Professor Ashley Braganza speaks with Ali Teeney, Head of AI and ML at Kraken (Octopus Energy Group’s tech arm), to examine whether Green AI is truly attainable and what it will take.

Ali explores how Kraken is using AI to optimise energy grids, power homes more efficiently, and work directly with customers to build trust in new technologies. He also breaks down the real numbers behind training large language models and explains the need for policy reform, market incentives, and grid modernisation to make Green AI a reality.

Drawing from Kraken’s AI innovations across the UK and international markets, Ali shares actionable insights into:

• The energy cost of LLMs and future models

• Optimising smart grid loads with AI

• The economics of building data centres near renewable energy sources

• Why UK policy reforms around grid pricing and renewable access are overdue

• The difference between headline government support and system-level readiness

As governments around the world lean into AI infrastructure investment, this episode explores whether our energy systems are ready and what must change to ensure AI becomes a catalyst, not a threat, to environmental sustainability.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI and Energy Utilisation

06:01 The AI Energy Challenge

14:49 Policy and Infrastructure for AI Data Centres

22:59 Balancing Green Energy and AI Development

27:00 Opportunities in the AI Landscape