AI is like a teenager who’s just discovered a food delivery service. It can’t stop ordering more energy.

“Energy consumption needs are going up, particularly with AI,” says Jan Gunash, co-founder of Waterloo Region and Netherlands-based climate tech startup CoeusAI. “Ireland has more usage from data centres than it does from all of their homes combined.”

It’s a jaw-dropper and a warning. With AI adoption surging, energy demand is outpacing the build-out of renewables, forcing governments to move faster toward net-zero targets.

A shortcut button for wind and solar projects

The world needs more renewable energy, but building it isn’t as simple as dropping a pin on a map.

“The upfront costs for wind and solar projects are extremely high because of the feasibility work that goes into each project. Most of that work doesn't even break ground,” said Gunash. “So we thought, what if we could do all of that work in seconds?"

So, the CoeusAI platform does the hard math for you.

“It's a self-serve platform. Our users can quickly look up locations, determine not only site feasibility, but also financial and regulatory considerations as well. Now, what used to take weeks takes seconds,” said Gunash.

With more than 40 years of public and private data, CoeusAI gives renewable energy developers a clear go/no-go view.

“When we look at the United Kingdom’s regulations, for example, there are 28 regulatory categories, and within those, there are 197 variables.”

Instead of waiting weeks, energy companies can see right away if a site overlaps with migration routes, shipping lanes, or protected areas.

Europe called, they want net zero yesterday

For the team at CoeusAI, Europe was the obvious launch market. 

“They’re aggressively working towards renewable energy and net zero goals and we felt like we fit well into that picture,” said Gunash.

The move, he says, is as much about legacy as it is about profitability.

“What can we do in this lifetime to make sure our kids, and maybe even our grandkids, have a good world,” he said. “Focusing on climate and energy felt like the best way for us to help solve even a small part of that challenge.”

Good AI, not greenwashing

AI in energy is not without risk, and the team says it’s making transparency a competitive edge.

“Part of our mission from the beginning is being transparent with where the data comes from,” said Gunash. 

Users can click through to see exactly which dataset a recommendation is based on, building trust into every decision.

“I don't think anyone would build it the way we're building it with transparency,” he said. 
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