Growth of AI data centres a 'generated arms-race type narrative', Dáil committee hears

Government policy regarding data centres would see us increase emissions to put binding climate and emissions targets even further out of reach, expert says

Data centres already account for almost a quarter of all electricity demand in Ireland, and this figure is expected to rise to 30% in the coming years.

The “train is leaving the station” when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) user growth and the infrastructure needed to provide it, but Ireland “does not need to get on it”, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

In its latest meeting, the Oireachtas committee on AI heard concerns around the expansion of data centres in Ireland, which could see them use the same amount of power as the rest of the country’s electricity users combined. AI is potentially at the forefront of this growth.

“This is a generated arms race-type narrative that ‘we all have to get involved’, when that is actually not the case at all,” said Jennie C Stephens, professor of climate justice at Maynooth University.

It’s part of the industry’s strategy to get us to accept that narrative that it’s inevitable we have to keep doing this. But if you look deeper into what problems it is actually solving and what problems it is exacerbating, it very quickly becomes clear that it is false.

As part of its ongoing hearings, the committee heard from experts about AI in the context of Ireland’s climate goals.

Data centres already account for almost a quarter of all electricity demand in Ireland, and this figure is expected to rise to 30% in the coming years.

Hannah Daly, professor of sustainable energy at University College Cork, said Government policy regarding data centres would see us increase emissions to put binding climate and emissions targets even further out of reach.

This is despite the policy specifying new data centres must meet 80% of their energy requirement from new renewable energy sources, with environment minister Darragh O'Brien saying it aims to "provide, in a sustainable way, the requirements of a modern digital economy”.

“This gives me the opportunity to discuss what I think is the main misconception in regards to the connection policy,” Ms Daly said. “That 80% renewables requirement only kicks in after six years following the data centre’s construction.

“In the meantime, it’s likely that the marginal generation would be fossil fuels. The point of our climate legislation is not [to have] more renewables sometime in the future. It is minimising cumulative greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible to keep within a budget. And we’re already over budget.” 

Ms Stephens was among those citing the UN report last week, which singled out Ireland as a “cautionary tale” in terms of the strain being put on its grid from data centres.

“They should actually be helping us move toward renewable energy," she said. "Not doing a little bit, but then still exploding and increasing fossil fuel demand.” 

Former committee chair Malcolm Byrne, who stepped down from the role last week after an arrest on suspicion of drink-driving, said failing to meet renewable targets was frustrating, particularly on the offshore side.

“You made the point about the train leaving the station, but there is a global train leaving the station,” he said. 

“If Ireland separates our need to invest in digital infrastructure from our need to invest in renewables, we’re going to be in trouble. We’re going to be left behind.”