All hyperscale data centres should face climate checks, say Greens
Every proposed hyperscale data centre in Scotland must face a full environmental impact assessment, the Scottish Greens have said.
The call follows the Scottish Government’s decision to require assessments for proposed developments in Edinburgh and at Auchtertool in Fife.
Ministers have introduced a new requirement for councils to notify them about data centre applications exceeding 50 megawatts. However, there is still no requirement for environmental assessments to be conducted as standard across Scotland.
This comes as the Scottish Government has still refused to define what a “green” data centre is.
Scottish Greens climate spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“Requiring environmental impact assessments for the developments in Edinburgh and Auchtertool is a welcome victory for communities and campaigners, but it cannot stop at two sites.
“If ministers recognise that these enormous developments could have significant environmental consequences, then every hyperscale data centre must face the same rigorous assessment, wherever in Scotland it is proposed.
“Communities deserve to know how much electricity and water these sites will consume, what strain they will place on the grid and whether they will rely on diesel generators for backup power before any decision is made.
“The extraordinary scale of the Auchtertool development shows why this scrutiny is essential. According to the developer’s own estimate, this one site alone could eventually consume the equivalent to the annual electricity use of around 1.6 million typical households."
Mark added:
“Scottish Green pressure has forced the Scottish Government to recognise the problem, and its announcement is a first step. But monitoring applications is not the same as managing them.
“The Scottish Government has not paused a single proposal, established what a so-called ‘green’ data centre actually is or provided councils with the binding national framework they urgently need.
“Every large-scale proposal must face a full environmental impact assessment as standard. Until a national framework is in place and the cumulative impact has been properly assessed, there must be an immediate pause on approving new hyperscale data centres.
“Scotland cannot allow speculative developments to be approved one by one while gambling with our renewable future.”