Ministers urged to halt plans for ‘humongous’ data centres over energy use fears

The Scottish Government is being urged to “press pause” on planning applications for new data centres, amid concern that proposed sites could double Scotland’s energy demands.

Information collected by Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) shows applications have been submitted for 17 hyperscale data centres, with other projects at an earlier stage in the planning process.

APRS director Kat Jones warned that if any of the “humongous data centres” are given the go-ahead, they “would use the energy of an entire city”, or possibly more.

The group calculated that if those centres for which applications have been submitted are permitted, they could increase Scotland’s energy demand by 4,450-4,950 megawatts (MW) – with the countryside charity saying this is larger than winter peak electricity demand for the whole of Scotland.

The group, along with the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS), has written to the Scottish Government urging ministers to pause applications so the impact on energy supplies, energy prices and net zero targets can be considered.

The letter, sent to public finance minister Ivan McKee, also raises concerns that data centres are not routinely required to produce an environmental impact assessment before being given the go-ahead, with APRS and the ERCS stating that of the five proposed centres that have reached this stage of the planning process, only one has had to produce such an assessment.

It comes at what Dr Jones insists is a “critical moment” for Scotland.

With planning applications for the various data centres due to be considered by local councils, she said there is “no overview as to their effect on the country as a whole”.

Dr Jones said: “We are in the ludicrous situation that the data centres currently in Scotland’s planning system would more than double the country’s energy use if they were built.

“This is evidently impossible, and yet it is entirely possible that we will see these data centres consented by local councils, without even requiring an environmental impact assessment.

“We have a window of opportunity for sense to prevail, but it is urgent.

“Once planning applications go in there is generally only 21 days for the public and communities to object. We need the Government to press pause on this so we can step back from actions that will have serious consequences for Scotland’s energy security, household energy prices and climate targets.”

The Scottish Government has already set the target of making the country a leader in so-called “green data centres”.

While the Government accepts such developments are “very large consumers of energy”, it insists Scotland has “enormous capacity to generate energy from renewable sources”.

Ben Christman, legal director at the ERCS, said the description of some developments as “green data centres” is a “meaningless term”, adding the lack of a clear definition on this “opens the door to developments which will cause significant harm to the environment and society”.

Dr Christman added: “We are asking the Scottish Government to establish a moratorium on granting planning permission for data centres until they publish clear guidance on what constitutes a green data centre.

“That guidance must prohibit data centres which adversely affect our climate commitments and damage local environments and communities.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government acknowledges the significant levels of investment that green data centres can bring to Scotland, along with the role they can play in supporting regional economic development.

“Planning authorities have a responsibility to consider the environmental implications of all developments which require planning permission.

“If a proposal is likely to have a significant environmental effect, procedures are set out in the EIA Regulations.

“All proposed developments are considered on their own merits, in order to decide whether an environmental impact assessment would be required.”