CLONDALKIN, Ireland — A multitude of large data centers located on the outskirts of Dublin is consuming more electricity than all the urban households in Ireland combined. This immense energy demand is starting to challenge the positive reception these centers initially received in the country. As Ireland became a hub for tech giants like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok, there are growing concerns about sustainability and energy resources as companies seek to expand their operations to support the rising demand for artificial intelligence technology.
Amid fears of potential blackouts, the national grid operator has placed a moratorium on new data centers around Dublin that is set to last until 2028. According to official data, these significant structures and their powerful equipment consumed 21% of Ireland’s total electricity last year, marking a higher rate of energy consumption than any other country recorded by the International Energy Agency.
Energy researcher Paul Deane from University College Cork states that Ireland serves as a reflection of the challenges many countries will face in the upcoming decade, especially with the rapid advancement of AI technologies.
Activist Darragh Adelaide, 26, resides in a working-class suburb of Dublin, across a busy motorway from Grange Castle Business Park, which hosts one of the nation’s largest clusters of data centers. Adelaide’s active opposition to Google’s expansion has highlighted the excessive number of data centers and the connection between their energy consumption and rising electricity prices, raising awareness among local residents. Since the turn of the century, Ireland has drawn in global tech companies due to favorable tax policies, a skilled English-speaking workforce, and EU membership, turning the tech sector into a critical component of its economy.
Most data centers are located around Dublin due to their need for fast connections to the capital city, and Ireland’s cooler climate aids in preventing overheating of the data center equipment without excessive water use. However, as the demand for power has surged and electricity prices have spiked, these once-obscure buildings are now under scrutiny. Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency has raised alarms about the pollution stemming from power generators at data centers impacting nearby regions.
A response to these concerns began in 2021, following predictions that data centers could consume one third of Ireland’s electricity this decade. Authorities declared a cap on new data centers in Dublin and urged tech companies to explore locations outside the capital and seek independent energy solutions.
Adelaide’s efforts against data center expansion have resulted in his election to the South Dublin County Council for the People Not Profits Party. He played a role in the council’s recent rejection of Google’s proposal to establish a new data center, a decision that the tech giant appealed in September.
The pushback from local planning authorities surrounding Dublin has caused frustration among data center developers. Dermot Lahey, who leads Digital Realty’s data center projects in Ireland, remarked that existing power limitations are significantly hampering their capacity to accommodate customers.
As developers look beyond Dublin, they are considering alternative locations like County Offaly, west of Dublin, where the region is known for its peat bogs. A local government report suggests this area could generate thousands of green jobs and become a competitive site for data centers powered by renewable energy. However, some residents, like 83-year-old farmer and conservationist Brian Sheridan, express doubts. He has witnessed the environmental degradation caused by earlier peat extraction, which has significantly compromised the local ecosystem.
Despite supporting the transition to renewable energy, residents are concerned about how this shift could impact local heritage. Some are worried about plans for new wind farms by Bord na Móna, a company historically responsible for peat extraction that is now pivoting to renewable energy projects in collaboration with tech firms like Amazon. While Bord na Móna has omitted specifics about its plans, some locals desire greater transparency.
In contrast, others see potential benefits from data centers. Supporters, like Gerard Whelan, envision better job prospects and increased housing demand as a positive outcome of this change. The future of Ireland’s data centers may hinge on national policy decisions as a new government prepares to assume office early next year, potentially determining how the country navigates the balance between technological demand and sustainable energy solutions.