New research commissioned by Friends of the Earth Ireland has revealed that the rapid expansion of data centres in the country is undermining Ireland’s climate commitments. The study, conducted by University College Cork (UCC), found that the growth in electricity demand from data centres has far outpaced that of other sectors, raising concerns over Ireland’s ability to meet its climate targets.
The research shows that electricity demand from data centres has surged by nearly 23% annually since 2015, compared to less than 0.5% for other sectors. Between 2017 and 2023, all new wind energy generation in Ireland was fully absorbed by data centres, according to the study.
One of the study’s more alarming findings is that many data centres either currently rely on or are seeking connections to the natural gas network, a move that Friends of the Earth argues exacerbates vulnerabilities in Ireland’s already strained energy system. The environmental group warns that the increasing reliance on fossil fuels by data centres is a blind spot in Ireland’s climate action plans.
“The current trajectory of data centre demand is incompatible with Ireland’s climate commitments,” said Professor Hannah Daly, who authored the report. “Data centres are growing far faster than the renewable energy procured to meet their needs.”
The research has sparked calls for a reassessment of government policy regarding the expansion of data centres, especially as negotiations on the program for government begin. Friends of the Earth Ireland is calling for a halt to the unchecked growth of the industry, arguing that it presents a significant challenge to the country’s climate targets.
Rosi Leonard, Data Centre Campaigner with Friends of the Earth Ireland, highlighted the environmental risks posed by the industry’s growth. “Soaking up 21% of our electricity supply and rising, we are at the coalface of a scenario where Big Tech is uncritically accepted as an unquestioned force for good,” Leonard said. “Evidence shows that the unlimited expansion of data centres risks pumping far more pollution into our environment than previously thought.”
The findings come at a time when the Dublin region has already imposed an effective moratorium on new data centre connections to the national electricity grid until 2028 due to capacity constraints. These restrictions are a response to the growing energy demands of data centres and other large-scale energy users, which have raised concerns about Ireland’s carbon emissions.
Meanwhile, Digital Infrastructure Ireland, which represents ten data centre developers and operators, has warned that failure to address policy constraints could prevent Ireland from capitalizing on the economic benefits of next-generation technologies.
