Google Ireland refused planning permission for data centre due to insufficient capacity on power grid

https://www.thejournal.ie/google-ireland-refused-planning-permission-data-centre-insufficient-capacity-power-grid-6472280-Aug2024/?utm_source=twitter_short

Posted by badger-biscuits

13 Comments

  1. External-Chemical-71 on

    Good. Data centres are deadbeat. Few jobs in construction phase, suck out massive amounts of power from the national grid and then.. maybe 5-10 permanent employees to keep the thing going.

  2. How many do we have already? A lot no?

    Do we need it? How many work places would it bring?

    Don’t we have houses to build? Why not use resources on them instead?

  3. This is a good time for Google,MS,Amazon and others to jump in and invest in Irelands power infrastructure 

  4. The important bit is :

    >However, in its refusal, the Council also cited the lack of clarity provided in relation to the applicant’s engagement with Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in Ireland and the lack of a connection to the surrounding district heating network as grounds to turn the application down.

    Datacenters are being told they need to be encouraging the buildout of renewables by demonstrably engaging in PPAs for solar/wind/etc., as this uses datacentres to fund the expansion of renewables in Ireland. They’ve also been told that they need to be shipping their waste heat to the District Heating pipes, instead of just venting it, which basically turns their power usage into heating for the city.

    If they comply with these and other measures to reduce their impact, they’ll probably get a permit.

  5. willowbrooklane on

    Google has a right to set up as many data centres as it wants. It pays more than enough for them through billions in corporation tax. Which would we rather, a global tech innovator using the powergrid to fuel a million new Irish jobs or some do-nothing granny using the same powergrid to heat her little hovel in winter (and likely not even renting out any rooms to share it with others).

    One rule for me and another for thee under the rule of Socialist Simon and his gang of anti-democratic crooks.

  6. So fucking stupid. How is assessing electricity supply even in the remit of the council rather than eirgrid?

  7. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh2023 on

    All data centres should have to show a plan of self generating electricity to gain planning permission. Then actually act on it. Be it wind, hydro or solar panels. They have the brain power and the money to back it up.

  8. Microsoft are funding nuclear in the US, perhaps that’s what Google needs to do? That or fund weeks worth of battery storage, in case we have another severe wind drought like in 2023.