The UK government intends to triple the number of datacentres across the country by 2030. This expansion could be facilitated by the recent classification of datacentres as critical national infrastructure.
Concerns have been raised regarding the environmental impact of datacentres, particularly their high demand for electricity and water. Water UK, representing water companies, stated two weeks ago that government water forecasts were "fatally flawed" and "explicitly exclude" datacentres, which can use up to 5 million gallons of water daily, equivalent to the consumption of up to 50,000 people.
In December, a report from the London assembly indicated that the electricity requirements of datacentres had contributed to stalled housebuilding in the capital. Early research, including a recent preprint from Cambridge University researchers, suggests datacentres can create a "heat island" effect, potentially increasing local temperatures by an average of 2C and up to 9C.