Until a few years ago, many of us may not have been aware of what a\ndata centre was.<\/p>\n
These vast, warehouse-like buildings support almost everything we do\nonline, from web searches and email to film downloads and online\nbanking.<\/p>\n
They are at the heart of the rapid development of artificial\nintelligence (AI). Their function is to house advanced computer chips\nand servers needed to run services such as ChatGPT and Claude.<\/p>\n
But their dramatic rate of growth, huge electricity consumption and\nenvironmental impact have prompted a backlash from communities around\nthe world.<\/p>\n
In the US, the issue has become a major topic of debate ahead of the\nmidterm elections on 3 November, with Republicans and Democrats alike\nopposing data centre development.<\/p>\n
This puts opponents of data centre expansion on a collision course\nwith US President Donald Trump, who has dismissed the opposition as a\n\u201ccrazy conspiracy\u201d, despite growing public anger.<\/p>\n
Here is what you need to know about the rapid growth of data centres\nand why opposition to them is spreading.<\/p>\n
According to Data Center Map, a company that tracks operational and\npre-operational sites, there are around 12,250 data centres\nworldwide.<\/p>\n
That is a sharp rise from 2021, when about 8,000 sites were\noperational.<\/p>\n
Data centres are usually located near cities, where access to\nhigh-voltage power lines or water supplies for cooling is easier.<\/p>\n
But as data centres grow in scale, more are being built in rural\nareas.<\/p>\n
In terms of actual capacity, however, the US is far ahead, followed\nby China in second place, while Europe lags well behind.<\/p>\n
The gap is expected to widen further in the coming years, prompting\nwarnings that Europe risks missing out on the potential economic\nbenefits of the AI boom.<\/p>\n
Data centres vary considerably in size, from facilities that can fit\ninside a garden shed to sites covering vast areas.<\/p>\n
The world\u2019s largest data centre is reportedly in Hohhot, Mongolia,\ncovering one million square metres \u2013 equivalent to 140 standard FIFA\nfootball pitches. It is owned by China Telecom.<\/p>\n
Much larger sites are under construction, as shown in the graphic\nbelow.<\/p>\n
All these sites are being built exclusively to provide the enormous\ncomputing power needed to run AI services.<\/p>\n
One example is Colossus 2, part of the wider Colossus complex in the\nUS.<\/p>\n
Colossus 2 will house hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips made\nby technology giant Nvidia. The facility will also be used to train\nxAI\u2019s chatbot, Grok.<\/p>\n
Elon Musk\u2019s company will use 41 methane gas turbines to help power\nthe site. Activists say these could \u201csignificantly increase\u201d local air\npollution.<\/p>\n
Local regulators say the turbines will meet air quality\nstandards.<\/p>\n
The strain data centres place on local resources has become an\nincreasing concern.<\/p>\n
These facilities can use large amounts of water to cool their\nsystems, which some experts warn could contribute to water\nshortages.<\/p>\n
Analysis indicates that rising electricity demand is driving up\ncarbon emissions while putting pressure on local power grids. Some fear\nthis could lead to higher energy prices.<\/p>\n
Others are concerned about the noise generated by data centres and\nthe amount of land they occupy, adding to the public backlash.<\/p>\n
Around 16 US states have proposed laws to ban or temporarily halt\nconstruction of new facilities, and the issue could become a major\nsubject in November\u2019s midterm elections.<\/p>\n
Outside the US, opposition to data centres has also emerged in\ncountries including Mexico, France, Indonesia and the UK.<\/p>\n
Supporters of data centres argue that the facilities are vital to\nnational security and the development of AI.<\/p>\n
They also say data centres benefit the economy by attracting\ninvestment, generating tax revenue and creating jobs in sectors such as\nconstruction.<\/p>\n
A recent report by the Brookings Center found that data centres do\ncreate local jobs, although fewer than industry supporters claim.<\/p>\n
The type of data centre also matters. The report found that so-called\nhyperscale facilities \u2013 large sites owned and operated by technology\ngiants such as Amazon and Microsoft \u2013 have a greater positive effect on\nemployment.<\/p>\n
Colocation facilities, which lease space to remote tenants who are\nnot physically present at the site, provide fewer benefits.<\/p>\n
As debate over the benefits intensifies, data centre construction\ncontinues.<\/p>\n
The technology industry is expected to spend a total of US$765\nbillion on AI infrastructure this year, with spending forecast to exceed\nUS$1 trillion in 2027.<\/p>\n
But as concerns about environmental impacts grow, the technology\nindustry is exploring alternatives.<\/p>\n
One idea is to put data centres in space or on the Moon, where they\ncould make use of abundant solar energy.<\/p>\n
Others expect that more AI processing could eventually be carried out\nby hardware already in our computers and smartphones, reducing the\noverall need for large-scale data centres.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/why-is-opposition-to-data-centres-growing-1793184920", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }