Irish authorities thwarted Google data center project because it was not sustainable enough

Google’s plans to expand its network of data centers in the Dublin area will never materialize. According to The Register, Irish authorities considered that the new data center project was not environmentally friendly enough.

The decision was made last week, but information about it has only appeared now. Meanwhile, South Dublin Council has revoked a 10-year permit for the construction of a 72,400 m² Google data center and associated infrastructure at Grange Castle Business Park near the Irish capital. By the way, in the Dublin area there is actually a moratorium on new data centers, with the exception of those that received permission earlier.

Image source: Gregory DALLEAU/unsplash.com

The main reason for the refusal was the negative impact of the project on the environment. Authorities stated that Google was unable to prove the proposed use was permissible due to insufficient capacity of the national electricity grid and a lack of renewable energy for the site. The irony is that local regulators considered anything below 100% insufficient.

The council also expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency in current PPAs relating to business in Ireland, as well as the lack of connection to the nearest district heating network. The company also provided few details about how the project would affect energy supply once it is operational in 2027.

It was also stated that Google’s proposal did not comply with local rules related to the preservation and protection of green infrastructure and the council’s environmental requirements. In other words, the company was deemed not “green” enough to build another large data center near the Irish capital.

National Trust For Ireland supported the government’s decision in a letter, noting that the new facility would generate the equivalent of an additional 224,250 tonnes of CO2 annually, representing 0.44% of the country’s total CO2 emissions. This increase in pollution does not comply with Ireland’s environmental obligations, and the construction of data centers in the country should already be reconsidered.

It is noted that the construction of data centers was previously almost uncontrolled, and now data centers consume 21% of all “metered” electricity in the country, while in 2015 this figure was only 5%. Data centers currently consume more electricity than all Irish urban households combined.

It is unknown whether the company will appeal the refusal. Google recently admitted that instead of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is actually increasing them—emissions have increased by 48% since 2019. The company explains this by the growth of the data center network, which is expanding due to the great demand for AI solutions.

It is not yet known what steps Google will take. It is known that Microsoft received permission to build a data center in the same Grange Castle in July 2023. To allay Irish authorities’ concerns about the power consumption of its data centre, the company has pledged to build its own backup power station on site to avoid drawing too much power from the national grid. The power plant will run on natural gas, which is not considered a particularly green energy source.