There’s a lot of discussion about the need for, and the environmental impact of, data centres, often linked to AI if we are to profit from the benefits of new technology. I’m not very close to any of this but I am concerned about the apparent energy and water needs of these centres.
Other people are too, see this petition which already has 40,000+ signatures – click here.
There are three (at least) interesting things about this petition.
1. The responsible government department, Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, published a correction of its original response. The original response started;
We will not pause data centre or BESS approvals. Both are vital for growth and 2030 clean energy targets. Projects face strict local planning, NSIP review and security laws protect infrastructure.
The corrected version is;
We have no plans to pause data centre or BESS approvals. Projects will continue to be assessed under robust local and national planning rules.
The changes to the first sentence may be merely cosmetic – government shouldn’t give the impression it will ignore petitions, whatever. The removal of the second sentence is a significant insight into how BIST thinks (and must be an overstatement IMHO). The third sentence has changed to a more accurate version but I wonder what that security stuff is all about.
2. I always look at the maps of signatures and there is a concentration of signatures from North Devon – that’s a bit unusual.
3. I Googled the name of the petitioner (good job she has an unusual name!) and I find she is a LibDem councillor from a North Devon farming family.
All becomes clearer when you look at this 21-minute video But you get the gist in five minutes);
I’m not sure the individuals interviewed or their arguments resonated that strongly with me but the scale of the development certainly did. It made a theoretical issue very real. Have a look at it, and see what you think.
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I feel strongly about this and the local people have very valid concerns. One of them, a man, hit the nail on the head when he said it was rich people who want to build these centres. Of course, it is always companies, most who are international, who will rake in millions and millions of pounds, but you can bet your bottom dollar these people will make sure that they never live next to one. Also, the south of England doesn’t have enough water for itself, never mind the amount these behemoths will consume. Scandalous and another example of the government riding roughshod over the concerns of ordinary people.