BERLIN / LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – The expansion of data centers in Germany is met with increasing skepticism among the population. The main concerns are high energy consumption and environmental impact, particularly water consumption for cooling systems. A survey shows that many Germans only support the construction of new data centers on the condition that they are powered by renewable energy.
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In Germany, skepticism towards the expansion of data centers is growing, as a current survey shows. The population is concerned about increasing energy consumption and the environmental impact that comes with the construction of new data centers. The high electricity requirements and water consumption for cooling systems are particularly the focus of criticism. These concerns were highlighted in a representative survey by British pollster Savanta.com, commissioned by AlgorithmWatch and international NGOs.
More than half of respondents expressed concerns that data center water usage could impact their own water supply. There is even greater concern for the neighboring ecosystems that could be affected by the construction of new data centers. These environmental issues are of central importance as the population increasingly pays attention to the sustainability and ecological impact of such large-scale projects.
Another critical point is energy consumption. Almost half of those surveyed believe that data centers will account for a significant share of German energy consumption in the future. They already account for around 3.5 to 4 percent of national electricity consumption, and the trend is rising. Electricity demand is growing rapidly, particularly in metropolitan areas such as Frankfurt, Berlin and Munich, which underlines the need for additional renewable energy capacities.
The survey results show that over two thirds of Germans believe that new data centers should only be built if they get their electricity from renewable energies. Julian Bothe from AlgorithmWatch emphasizes that without additional renewable energy sources, the AI hype could become a climate killer. The increasing demand for electricity due to artificial intelligence applications therefore requires a sustainable energy policy in order to minimize environmental impact.
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