Google’s ambitious plans to expand its data center operations in Dublin have hit a major roadblock, as Irish county officials have rejected the proposal, citing significant environmental shortcomings.
Last week, the South Dublin County Council delivered a decision that threw a wrench into Google’s decade-long vision. The tech giant sought to construct a 72,400 square meter data storage facility, complete with supporting infrastructure, at the Grange Castle Business Park, just outside Dublin. However, the council found the proposal lacking in sustainability.
Reasons given for denying the project centered on environmental impact, writes Brandon Vigliarolo from The Register. They noted that Google failed to demonstrate that the proposed facility would be acceptable due to the insufficient power capacity of the national grid and a glaring “lack of significant on-site renewable energy”—defined by the council as anything less than 100%.
Further compounding the issue was Google’s vague stance on its current Power Purchase Agreements in Ireland. The council also criticized the proposal for not connecting to the nearby district heating network and for lacking clarity on how the facility would affect the power supply once operational in 2027.
In a pointed rebuke, the council stated that Google’s proposal didn’t align with local requirements for “retention and protection of existing green infrastructure,” nor did it meet the standards set by the council’s Green Space Factor.
In essence, the council deemed Google’s proposal insufficiently green to justify the construction of yet another massive data center in Ireland, where the company already operates several facilities.
Supporting the council’s decision, a letter from the Irish National Trust [PDF] highlighted the potential environmental toll of the project. If completed as proposed, the new facility would add approximately 224,250 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions annually, accounting for 0.44% of Ireland’s total CO2 emissions.
“An increase of 0.44% in national emissions is entirely incompatible with our obligations to reduce emissions,” wrote Seán O’Callaghan, planning officer for the Irish National Trust. He further noted that data center construction in Ireland has been excessive and needs to be reined in.
“The proliferation of data infrastructure has largely gone unchecked, and data centers now consume 21% of Ireland’s total metered electricity,” O’Callaghan explained. “This is up from 5% in 2015 and represents more electricity use than all urban households in Ireland combined.”
Google, which asserts its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, recently acknowledged that it has actually experienced a 48 percent increase in emissions since 2019. The company attributes this rise to the expansion of its data center network, driven largely by the growing demands of AI.
It’s uncertain whether Google has thoroughly explored alternative solutions, especially considering that Microsoft managed to secure approval for a new data center at Grange Castle—the same location where Google’s proposal was recently rejected—in July 2023.
To address Ireland’s concerns about energy consumption, Microsoft opted to build its own power plant as a backup, ensuring it wouldn’t excessively burden the national grid. However, this power plant will run on natural gas, casting doubt on any claims that Microsoft’s project approval was due to strong environmental credentials.