Hacker News

Favorites Setup
Comment by cinntaile | original | Decade-old RAM is making a comeback
[−]cinntaile · 2026-10-11 Sun 09:12 UTC · link
Energy is a commodity so the price will be very similar for the same goods. What they tack on as taxes might be different.
[−]stefanfisk · 2026-10-11 Sun 09:25 UTC · link
Energy means electricity in this case, and the EU prices are about 2-3x those paid in China AFAIK, for both residential and commercial.
[−]doikor · 2026-10-11 Sun 10:07 UTC · link
EU is big and prices vary. (Transfer capacity is limited)

Afaik electricity is around 7c/kWh in China. I got 8c/kWh 2y contract a couple weeks ago here in Finland. Though have to add 4c/kWh for transfer to that (no clue if the Chinese prices I could find include that). Commercial prices are less then that (no VAT and possibly lower power tax bracket. The 8c includes all taxes/fees)

[−]stefanfisk · 2026-10-11 Sun 12:12 UTC · link
The cheapest price in Europe at best equaling the average price in China sounds like it just proves my point?
[−]mitxela · 2026-10-11 Sun 11:24 UTC · link
Electricity cannot be shipped from one place to another in bulk quantities.
[−]RunSet · 2026-10-11 Sun 11:28 UTC · link
And data can be.

Which is why I suspect most nominal "data centers" are fronts for crypto mining, an activity that seeks out the cheapest energy.