We are calling on the Scottish Government to stop all hyperscale AI data centres until Environmental Impact Assessments are made compulsory for hyperscale data centres, and until they have done a robust assessment of the impacts on communities, the grid and climate emissions.
Hyperscale AI Data centres use huge amounts of energy and land, require backup generators that usually run on diesel and produce serious air pollution, and can cause electricity prices to rise due to demands on the grid. They also employ extremely few people and are being built to train and run large language AI models for the biggest tech companies on the planet. For more see our campaign pages.
We are calling on the Scottish Government to put a Moratorium on hyperscale AI data centres until they can be certain that they don’t adversely affect communities, the environment and our electricity prices.
The data centres being proposed in Scotland and the UK are absolutely huge, with energy demands of 200-1000 MW. APRS have calculated from looking through Scotland’s planning portals that there is over 6000MW of data centre energy demand currently in the planning system. This would more than double our peak power demand in Scotland. And there are additional hyperscale data centre proposals being developed which would add up to around 11,000MW (see our Data Centre Map for information)
At present decisions on hyperscale data centres are being made by local authorities with no overall strategy, assessment of their impacts for Scotland, or requirement for them to have an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as part of the planning process. Six out of 11 proposals that have reached the EIA stage of planning are not being required to produce one. This is extremely concerning because the scale of energy requirements for data centres mean that they have a disproportionately high impact on the environment.
We are calling on the Scottish Government to put in place a moratorium on hyperscale data centres in Scotland until they have examined the impacts of them on Scotland’s communities, climate targets and electricity grid. And until there is a robust and meaningful definition of ‘green data centre’ and that all hyperscale data centres are required to do an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Latest news from the campaign!
Today the Scottish Greens brought the campaign against Hyperscale AI Data Centres to First Ministers Questions:
Today APRS and ERCS wrote to the Planning Minister Ivan McKee to express concern about the energy demands of data centres coming through Scotland’s planning system. They called for a pause on all planning applications until a more strategic approach can be made and strict environmental standards are defined for data centres.
The greenhouse gas emissions of hyperscale AI data centres have not been included in the Scottish Government’s analysis of the impact of ‘green data centres’ on Scotland’s climate targets, according to analysis by environmental charity APRS.
Local campaigners speak out against plans for a 600MW data centre in Fife and we warn of energy price rises due to the volume of hyperscale data centres ahead of Parliamentary debate on energy.
Campaigners are calling today for the full extent of the developments that will be part of the AI Growth Zone in Lanarkshire to be made public.
Yesterday the planning committee of Edinburgh City council met to discuss a moratorium on hyperscale AI data centres and the definition of a ‘green data centre’. They voted for Edinburgh council to call on the Scottish Government for a nationwide moratorium until there is a definition of what a ‘green data centre’ is.
Urgent: Can you help fund our work?
We are a tiny charity with just three part time staff and need funding to support our work and to employ a professional planner to help us assist communities to oppose data centres in their area.
- to keep a public database up to date of the applications coming in
- to offer bespoke advice to communities working on objecting to data centres near them
- to write example Objections for each development being planned and to submit Objections from APRS and to encourage other NGOs to Object
- to set up a map of sites being planned
- to bring together other NGOs to also object to the centres and coordinate out work in the area of planning campaigning
- to deliver training/webinars for communities and NGOs and to write guidance for objecting to data centers
- to advise on changes to NPF4 and Scottish Government policy on data centres
If you can help us, please do get in touch or donate on the button below.