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BBC Research Finds AI Data Centres Could Undermine UK Net Zero Goals
BBC File on 4 found four data centres are already looking at gas-fired power to meet their electricity needs.
Key points
- Four data centres are already looking at gas-fired power stations to meet their electricity needs.
- The data centres would require 1.3 gigawatts and could produce an estimated 4.1 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year.
- Some data centre developers have been told they could wait up to 10 years for a grid connection upgrade.
Why it matters. Councillor Ed Gemmell said gas-fired power stations across the country would make it extremely difficult to hit environmental and net zero targets.
BBC File on 4 Investigates has found that four data centres in the UK are already looking at gas-fired power stations to meet their electricity needs. If run at full capacity, they would need 1.3 gigawatts and could emit an estimated 4.1 million tonnes of carbon a year, more than Manchester, Liverpool and Southampton combined. Ofgem's Nathan MacWhinnie said the grid is at capacity in many places, and some developers have been told they could wait up to 10 years for a connection.
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BBC Research Finds AI Data Centres Could Undermine UK Net Zero Goals
The UK government's ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 could be undermined by its new deal on AI data centres, according to BBC research. Four planned "hyperscale" data centres are already considering using gas-fired power to meet their electricity needs. During the Budget speech on Wednesday, Chancellor John Healey said data centres would be allowed to build onsite power generation. The findings were reported by the BBC's File on 4 Investigates team, which examined the plans and their implications for the country's emissions goals. The report highlights a tension between the government's rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and its climate commitments, and the full details of the research were set out in the BBC report.