datacenters

The UK's Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 aims to reduce approval times for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) by up to 12 months, with datacenters now included in this category. The reforms, effective later this month, eliminate pre-application consultations for major projects like power stations and datacenters, streamlining approvals through central oversight instead of local councils.

The bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act, intended to shield consumers from rising electricity costs linked to datacenters, is criticized for being largely voluntary and ineffective. Consumer advocates argue the bill, supported by Microsoft, fails to address the true costs of datacenters and may increase prices for working people.

US residents are protesting datacenters being built in their communities, leading to recalls of officials who approve such projects. A proposed data center in Michigan, promoted by Lenoxdatacenter.com, has sparked controversy as local officials denied any formal applications, despite emails showing developers sought township support.

Datacenters are driving growth in the US clean energy industry by boosting wind and solar power, but they remain a significant climate threat. Big tech companies are investing in their own power sources due to grid connection issues, paradoxically supporting clean energy while creating environmental challenges.

Datacenters are accelerating US clean energy growth by investing in wind, solar, and other renewables, but their expansion also poses significant climate risks. While the sector is revitalizing a previously struggling clean energy industry, observers warn that datacenters remain a major environmental threat due to their energy demands.

Residents in rural Coweta County, Georgia, are pushing for a referendum to challenge a datacenter project called Project Sail and prohibit other datacenters and cryptocurrency mining operations. They have collected 6,500 signatures toward a 14,000-signature goal to enable a vote, with Coweta County located southwest of Atlanta and having 160,000 residents.

The EU's proposed datacenter efficiency rating system, aimed at promoting sustainability, faces delays and criticism for not accounting for regional climate differences. Moody's warns the system could create credit risks for operators, while Europe's fragmented financing and infrastructure challenges hinder large-scale datacenter expansion.

A majority of the US's new AI datacenters are set to be built in drought-affected areas, according to a Guardian analysis. Two-thirds of upcoming datacenters, which require significant water to operate, are planned for some of the driest regions in the country.

A Guardian analysis reveals that most of the US's new AI datacenters are planned for drought-affected regions, raising concerns over water usage. About two-thirds of upcoming datacenters, which require significant water, will be built in the country's driest areas.

The AI boom is marked by rapid expenditure growth and accelerating consumer adoption, with companies like SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI seeking massive valuations or IPOs. Infrastructure spending on datacenters is surging, but concerns about hypothetical returns are emerging.

New York lawmakers approved a bill imposing labor, energy, and environmental requirements on datacenters, including a one-year moratorium on permits for facilities using 20 MW or more. The bill awaits Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision and includes provisions for renewable energy transitions, cost allocations, and community benefits, though business leaders oppose it as rushed.

Seattle, home to Amazon and Microsoft, is set to pass a year-long moratorium on new datacenters, marking a major rebuke to big tech as local concerns over AI's energy demands grow. Four companies planned to build five large datacenters that would consume approximately a third of the city’s current daily electricity demand.

Seattle, home to Amazon and Microsoft, is poised to pass a year-long moratorium on new datacenters, marking a significant rebuke to big tech as local disquiet over the AI boom grows. Four companies sought to build five large datacenters in areas serviced by Seattle’s public utility, which would have consumed approximately a third of the city’s current daily electricity demand.

Seattle, home to Amazon and Microsoft, is set to pass a year-long moratorium on new datacenter construction, marking a significant challenge for big tech as local concerns about the AI boom's energy demands grow. Four companies had planned to build five large datacenters that would consume a third of the city’s current daily electricity demand.

Residents in Monterey Park, California, voted to permanently ban datacenters, making it the first US city to do so through a ballot initiative. Early results show strong support for the prohibition, distinguishing it from temporary moratoriums enacted by other cities.

Residents in Monterey Park, California, became the first in the US to vote on a permanent ban on datacenters, with early results indicating strong support. The measure was enacted through a ballot initiative, making it the first such ban approved directly by voters rather than through a government moratorium.

Residents in Monterey Park, California, became the first in the US to vote on a permanent ban on datacenters, with early results indicating strong support. The ban was implemented through a ballot initiative, making it the first such measure approved directly by voters rather than through local government action.

Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens began opposing a planned datacenter in his community after discovering its local impact, using comedy as activism through a viral video. He has since become a frontline advocate against datacenters, leveraging his platform to highlight community concerns.

Ohio has paused tax breaks for datacenters, citing a $1.5 billion revenue loss in 2025, with Governor Mike DeWine halting new sales tax exemption requests. The state joins Virginia, Texas, and Georgia in facing significant financial strain from datacenter subsidies, as nonprofit Good Jobs First highlights transparency concerns.

The global expansion of datacenters faces energy and infrastructure challenges, with communities debating economic benefits against environmental impacts. AI-driven datacenters consume 1.5% of global electricity, projected to double by 2030. Enterprises aim to integrate AI, data, and energy strategies as costs and demand rise.

Europe needs a policy framework integrating water and energy efficiency to sustain datacenter growth for AI and cloud computing, as rising energy and water demands threaten infrastructure. A report by Grundfos highlights datacenters' growing electricity consumption (expected to reach 7-9% of EU usage by 2030) and water-intensive cooling systems, urging standardized environmental reporting and incentives for efficient technologies.

Nvidia exceeded Wall Street expectations with strong revenue growth, driven by accelerating AI infrastructure buildout and datacenter expansion. CEO Jensen Huang highlighted that agentic AI is now delivering productive work and scaling rapidly across industries.

Australia's electricity demand reached a record 25GW in Q1 2026 due to increased datacenter activity and warmer weather, but growth was offset by record rooftop solar output and battery usage, which helped stabilize wholesale prices.

CEOs of US top energy firms received a 16% pay raise in 2025, averaging $12.3 million, as utility bills rose up to 40% in some regions and 13 million power shut-offs occurred nationwide. The pay increases occurred amid consumer struggles linked to inflation, the Iran war, and datacenter-driven energy demands.

Meta is developing a space-based solar power system to supply energy to its datacenters and has partnered with an energy storage company to maintain a 100-hour power reserve. This initiative aims to address growing AI demand and ensure uninterrupted operations during grid overloads or outages.

Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have made the state the first in the US to impose a moratorium on new large datacenters. She argued the moratorium would hinder an ongoing datacenter project, highlighting the tension between environmental concerns and economic benefits from such facilities.

A YouTuber is attempting to build functional DRAM in their backyard to address rising memory prices driven by AI demand. High memory costs, caused by manufacturers prioritizing datacenter needs, have led some to seek unconventional solutions like DIY hardware.

UK AI datacenter capacity may shift away from London due to power shortages, planning constraints, and reduced reliance on low-latency financial connections. Experts suggest alternative locations are becoming more viable for hosting AI infrastructure.

UK MPs are investigating low-energy chip designs to address AI's growing power demands and prevent strain on the national power grid. A committee has launched an inquiry into emerging technologies aimed at curbing energy consumption in datacenters.

Maine has banned 'bit barns' (datacenters) due to growing local opposition, citing their loud operations, high power consumption, and negative impact on communities. The article compares datacenters to 'nuclear waste dumps,' highlighting their unpopularity and the 'not in my backyard' sentiment among residents.

Oracle has expanded its partnership with Bloom Energy to deploy up to 2.8 GW of fuel cell systems for US datacenter expansion, addressing challenges with grid connectivity and turbine availability. The collaboration highlights Bloom's role in providing on-site power solutions for datacenters.