A new report from the CSO shows that Data centres are now using 23% of the electricity generated in Ireland.
The report, which shows that electricity consumed by Data centres has risen by 1% since last year, and 18% since 2015, follows a number of recent reports that have highlighted the severe issues with data centres in Ireland.
Lynn Boylan, the Sinn Féin MEP for Dublin, has said that this highlights the need for the government to take the issue of data centres seriously.
“I’ve been sounding the alarm on data centres since I was a senator in the Seanad.
“Electricity consumption from data centres has grown every year without exception, doubling between 2015 and 2019 from 1,240 GWh to 2,490 GWh, and tripling between 2019 and 2025, reaching 7,663 GWh.
Lynn insisted that these figures show that the amount of energy being used by data centres is totally unsustainable.
“The problems that data centres are causing have been well documented, they’re driving up the cost of peoples energy, at a time when Irish households have the highest electricity bills in Europe.
“They’re also making it harder to build homes, and putting our grid under serious pressure.
“The government rebuke any criticism of data centres by saying that we need them for our economy, but if we don’t take steps to regulate them, then we’re facing serious issues with our grid, our climate, and tackling the housing crisis.
“It’s long past time the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael pull their heads out of the sand on this issue.”
