New figures have suggested that data centres now account for around 6% of electricity consumption in both the UK and the United States, which is well above the global average, highlighting the scale at which these facilities are expanding.
This growing energy demand comes at a time when both countries are already facing pressure on power networks. In the UK, developers have reported long waits to secure grid connections, while the queue for new connections has surged sharply.
As demand continues to rise, concerns are growing over how additional data centre capacity will be powered, and what the environmental cost could be.
The expansion of data centres is closely tied to the rapid uptake of artificial intelligence and cloud computing. However, it also raises broader questions about sustainability. Environmental groups have warned that, without effective oversight, the growth of AI infrastructure could increase reliance on fossil fuels, drive up energy costs and place additional strain on water resources.
These concerns have been amplified by new evidence that shows inefficiencies within the sector, including unused computing workloads that still consume significant amounts of power.
Alongside environmental considerations, the issue of transparency has become increasingly prominent. Industry bodies have acknowledged growing public and political resistance to new developments, particularly in regions where data centres already account for a significant share of electricity use.
Research suggests that this resistance tends to intensify once facilities exceed around 5% of national grid consumption – levels now reached or surpassed in several countries.
Calls for greater openness from technology companies are therefore becoming more urgent. Critics argue that communities and policymakers are often given limited visibility into the true environmental footprint of proposed projects, including their energy consumption, water use and carbon emissions.
Reports of underestimation in projected emissions from planned facilities have further undermined public trust.
As the sector continues to expand, there is increasing pressure for more robust environmental impact assessments and clearer disclosure requirements. This includes not only the direct energy use of data centres but also the source of that energy and the wider implications for national infrastructure.
Questions are also being raised about whether new, potentially polluting energy generation should be permitted to support AI-driven demand.
So, how do you balance the economic and technological benefits of data centre growth with its environmental and social costs?
Without greater transparency and more consistent regulatory oversight, the rapid pace of expansion that we are currently seeing will risk deepening concerns among communities already grappling with the consequences of increased energy consumption.
