Sierra Club Says Don’t Be Mistaken: Taxpayers Are Paying for These Data Centers
Don’t be mistaken: Taxpayers are paying for these big data centers
“What we know historically about fossil fuel plants is they’re placed in poor communities, and black and brown communities.”
Virginia’s data centers have raised environmental concerns as they consume significant energy to support their operations. The energy demand from these facilities results in carbon emissions, strains on local power grids, and potential water usage issues and thermal pollution due to the cooling systems required to maintain optimal temperatures.
So, today we have Paige Wesselink on the podcast to discuss the important work that the Virginia Sierra Club chapter is doing related to the topic.
In the world, Northern Virginia boasts the highest density of data centers, currently operating over 25 million square feet with many more under development.
A significant portion of the expenses related to this infrastructure will be shouldered by local communities, impacting both the environment and their monthly utility bills. While it is argued that these developments are meant to benefit the economy, in reality, the burden falls heavily on the ratepayer.
Companies such as Meta have revealed that water is a crucial resource for running their data centers. According to experts, a significant data center can consume anywhere from 1 million to 5 million gallons of water daily – equivalent to the needs of a town with a population of up to 50,000 people.
Northern Virginia is facing environmental challenges due to the growth of data centers, and we encourage people to participate in finding solutions.
As data centers grow to accommodate the rising need for cloud services, the energy consumption linked to these facilities becomes a notable issue. The energy used for operating and cooling servers frequently leads to considerable greenhouse gas emissions, adding to global warming. We acknowledge the efforts of our partners at the Virginia Sierra Club chapter for their valuable work. For further details on our initiatives to safeguard Virginia’s water, air quality, and natural habitat, please visit www.wildvirginia.org.