Warning that rising data centre energy usage risks Ireland's climate targets 

The conundrum faced by the Government is that data centre owners in Ireland are typically multinational giants which provide a lot of employment and revenue.

The ever-rising use of energy by data centres cannot continue if Ireland is to meet its climate and emissions targets.

That is according to one of the country's foremost clean energy experts speaking after the CSO revealed that electricity consumption by data centres increased 32% in 2021 compared to the previous year, and has risen 265% since the start of 2015 to the end of last year.

Electricity consumption by data centres increased by 32% in 2021https://t.co/loUovhliAV #CSOIreland #Ireland #Environment #Energy #EnvironmentalSubsidies #EnvironmentalAccounts #Climate #ElectricityConsumption #DataCentres pic.twitter.com/hCTsVfWMfO

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) May 3, 2022

Dr Paul Deane, senior research fellow at the UCC-based MaREI centre for energy, climate and marine research, said the growth in data centres cannot continue to rise at such levels if if emissions are to be reduced.

Something has to give. You can’t grow energy use and energy consumption and reduce emissions at the same time. It doesn’t really work that way. 

"We have these really strict climate ambitions and targets in Ireland, and growing energy use and reducing consumption are just not compatible.

"It’s coming to the stage now where there is a tricky decision for the Government to be made. It has to decide which one it wants to give priority to, because it is unlikely that they’ll be able to be done together. We are going in the wrong direction, and unfortunately we are going in the wrong direction quickly," he said.

Multinational giants

The conundrum faced by the Government is that data centre owners in Ireland are typically multinational giants which provide a lot of employment and revenue, Mr Deane said.

However, one solution to the big balancing act is to encourage data centre operators who are mindful of climate ambitions, he said.

"Not all data centre users are the same. Some are very progressive and others are less progressive. It’s for Ireland to try and carve out a way to encourage the progressive ones. Some have very strict emissions targets themselves, set by head offices globally. There are solutions there, looking at energy storage, more renewables, looking at demand reduction."

Mr Deane cautioned such measures would be costly.

"Those things are expensive, they require deep financial commitment to the cause and to Ireland, and deep pockets. There are technical solutions there, but you’d have to break new ground in terms of storing large amounts of energy."

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment said the Government was "well aware" of the emissions challenge of data centres.

"The Government is currently reviewing its strategy on data centres, to ensure that growth of such users can only happen in alignment with our sectoral emissions ceilings and renewable energy targets. The review is expected to be completed before the end of the second quarter of this year."