Data centres currently use around 2-2.5% of UK electricity with projections of a fourfold rise by 2030. The connection queue holds projects demanding up to 73GW, nearly double peak winter demand, amid this summer's widespread drought. The Green Party called for a pause on approvals due to energy, water and carbon impacts while Labour rejects it as harmful to jobs, investment and national security.
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2 Opinions
I'm saying yes because at present we have a drought here. We have also been reminded often to use energy saving items in the house. I don't know much about data centres, but there has to be a better way to keep them cool, and use less electricity.
These massive server warehouses guzzle huge amounts of electricity and millions of litres of water while ordinary families face high bills and hosepipe bans. And the resources are simply not there to support them properly at the current rate of expansion. Frankly, we shouldn't let big tech overload our national grid and drain local water supplies before we've built the clean power to support them.