Crossed wires on data centres

Is the tide about to turn on data centres in Ireland? South Dublin County Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for Google’s planned expansion of its data centre in Grangecastle has come as a surprise to industry watchers.
After all, there have been several projects greenlit around Dublin over the past couple of years. That includes Amazon’s plans for three new data centres in north Dublin, the development of Profile Park, also in Grangecastle, as a data centre hub and major data centres constructed elsewhere in south county Dublin.
But it isn’t the first time that the council has made a surprise move. It was in the headlines a couple of years ago when proposals to restrict new data centres in the area were included as part of its draft county development plan covering 2022 to 2028.
For a time, it seemed as concerns over infrastructure and potential environmental impacts were winning out. Then the council was forced to walk its position back, on orders from the Government.
Environmental groups have long voiced their objections to the growing footprint of data centres in Ireland, pointing out the potential impact on our carbon emissions and energy security. Data centres accounted for more than 20 per cent of all electricity use in the State last year.
Google’s planned 72,400 square metre expansion drew opposition from groups such as An Taisce, Friends of the Earth and Extinction Rebellion. An Taisce warned the new data centre would put pressure on an already strained electricity grid in the Dublin region.
That was a key factor in its rejection, with the council citing “the existing insufficient capacity in the electricity network (grid) and the lack of significant on site renewable energy to power the data centre” for the refusal.
The trend is clear; people don’t want more data centres putting pressure on the grid. But the demand for those data centres comes as more services move online, fuelled by our expectations of instant access to all our data. Data centres are also playing a role in digitising the economy – something that, paradoxically, is often cited as a way to reduce carbon emissions.
There are clear issues with the development of data centres in Ireland. But some sort of compromise has to be reached.