Thirsty and power hungry: Australia is in the middle of a datacentre boom – but not everyone is convinced
Summary
Australia is experiencing a large increase in datacentre construction, with many new facilities planned to support growing digital services and artificial intelligence. However, there are concerns about the high use of electricity and water, the impact on local communities, and whether the economic benefits justify the costs.Key Facts
- A large datacentre is planned on Mamre Road in western Sydney, with six big buildings and many cooling and backup power units.
- The total investment planned in Australian datacentres over the next decade is about $155 billion.
- Currently, there are around 160 datacentres in Australia, with 90 more proposed.
- Datacentres use a lot of electricity; on Australia’s east coast, they now use 2.8% of power, expected to rise to over 10% by the mid-2030s.
- The Mamre Road datacentre would use more electricity than a large aluminium smelter nearby.
- Datacentres also need significant water for cooling servers and take up large areas near cities.
- These facilities create many jobs during construction but only a few once they are operating.
- Some experts say clear rules on energy, water, and location can help Australia gain benefits while avoiding problems seen in other countries.
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