Environmentalists Challenge the Expansion of Data Centres in Northern Virginia

As the demand for data centres rises, environmentalists in Northern Virginia are objecting to their expansion due to potential adverse effects on air quality, water supply, and climate commitments. Local and global campaigns push for sustainable alternatives while big tech companies respond with pledges for renewable energy and efficiency improvements.

Environmental campaigner Julie Bolthouse is raising her voice against the continued expansion of data centres in Northern Virginia, a region recognized as a hub for digital infrastructure. As a director of the Piedmont Environmental Council, she highlights the overwhelming presence of data centres—477 in total—which makes Northern Virginia the world’s leading concentration of such facilities. “We’re the Wall Street of the data centre industry,” remarks Bolthouse, expressing concern over the environmental implications associated with these industrial warehouses that store and process vast amounts of data for various entities, including corporations and governments.

The surge in demand for data centres is largely fueled by the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), which requires extensive computing power. A report from Moody’s predicts that global data centre capacity is set to double over the next five years. Amid this boom, Bolthouse and her fellow environmentalists are articulating their opposition to new data centre applications, asserting that the expansion negatively affects their quality of life. They cite issues such as the construction of new electricity cables over conservation lands, increased water demands, and the impact of backup diesel generators on local air quality.

Municipal households in Virginia and Maryland are shouldering costs to upgrade the electricity network needed for these data centres, prompting Bolthouse and her team to actively campaign against new applications. They emphasize the importance of engaging with local planning commissions and zoning boards to raise awareness of the environmental concerns. Similar movements against the proliferation of data centres are gaining momentum globally, including in the Republic of Ireland, where facilities consume about 21% of the country's electricity.

Tony Lowes of Friends of the Irish Environment opposes the rise of data centres, highlighting their reliance on fossil fuels and their adverse effects on national renewable energy goals. As they challenge a proposed €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) facility in County Clare, Lowes notes that while a total halt of data centre developments would be ideal, seeking renewable energy prioritization and efficiency measures could lead to more sustainable operations.

In response to the mounting pressure from activists, major players in the data centre industry are beginning to assure the public of their commitment to sustainability. This summer, Microsoft announced its Data Center Community Pledge, aiming for 100% renewable energy procurement by next year and striving to become “water positive” by 2030. Similarly, Amazon Web Services is taking steps toward sustainability with recycled water cooling systems in some of its facilities, also aspiring for a “water positive” designation by 2030.

Josh Levi, president of the Data Center Coalition—a group representing data centre operators like Google, Microsoft, and Meta—asserts that the industry is at the forefront of clean energy initiatives. He cites that a significant portion of the US corporate renewable market is driven by data centre providers. The positive impact extends further, with data centres enhancing energy efficiencies for homes and businesses alike.

The movement against data centres is not restricted to the United States. In South America, campaigners have successfully influenced changes in construction designs, including Google’s decision to switch from water-cooled systems to air-cooled technologies in Uruguay. With Bolivia facing severe drought conditions, maintaining access to essential drinking water resources is a local priority, and Google adapted its plans to meet community needs. In Chile, similar concerns prompted Google to abandon proposals for a new data centre.

Bolthouse envisions a gradual but necessary shift toward greater environmental accountability within the data centre sector. “If we continue with business as usual, electrical prices will skyrocket, affecting everyone, including the data centre industry,” she warns. Meanwhile, she remains cautiously optimistic that continued advocacy and awareness will lead to substantial progress in improving the industry's sustainability practices in the coming years.