Ahern Welcomes ABP Refusal of Gas Guzzling Data Centre
Labour Party spokesperson on Climate, Environment and Energy Ciarán Ahern has welcomed An Bord Pleanála’s decision to refuse planning permission for a new data centre on climate grounds.
Deputy Ahern said:
“I’m glad that sense has prevailed in An Bord Pleanála and they have refused planning permission for the Equinix data centre. It would have flown in the face of our climate ambitions and the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels had construction of this facility been allowed to move forward.
“Data centres are massive energy consumers, accounting for more than a fifth of Ireland’s total energy consumption, and that number is going to rise considerably in the near future. The idea that this facility would be powered exclusively by an on-site gas plant is unconscionable at a time when we need to be significantly ramping up our efforts in moving towards clean, renewable energy sources.
“It’s good to see ABP taking a lead on sustainable development. They’re absolutely correct in their determination that allowing this facility and others like it to proceed would contradict our national climate policy. It seems that the High Court’s decision on the Coolglass wind farm has had a welcome impact on ABP’s decision making process, and they are now paying due regard to our climate law.
“The decision by ABP gives credence to my call for the CRU to go back to the drawing board on their new guidelines for data centre construction and operation and codify the requirement for islanded facilities to be powered by clean and renewable energy sources.
“If the Government is intent on green lighting the construction of new data centres – which evidently, they are – then the least they can do is ensure that these facilities don’t put even more pressure on our grid, resulting in higher bills for households and more blackouts, and that they don’t undermine our national climate policy and our vital pollution reduction targets”.
Deputy Ahern added:
“Data centres are and will continue to be an important part of our industrial infrastructure. Labour are not against them, but we cannot allow data centres to come at the expense of our climate goals, our energy security or our environment.
“I would again urge Government to introduce a moratorium on new construction until such a time as we can be sure that they will not impact on our climate targets and our energy security. That means introducing a robust legislative and regulatory framework so that we can be sure they will not threaten our binding limits on climate pollution or our energy security”.