In a country where everyone wants everything and resources are limited, it is good to conclude that the right path can be found when considering interests. After earlier commotion in 2021, when it turned out that it was up to the nineteen councilors of Zeewolde (23,000 inhabitants) to decide on the arrival of a data center that would not only change the environment drastically, but that would also make a huge seizure of the – already tight – Dutch electricity network, the national government went to control.
Rightly so: the establishment of so -called hyperscalers is a national decision, whereby it must be considered who can claim the share of the space, electricity and water. Have data centers, industry or consumers priority? Two areas were designated under the Rutte IV cabinet where so-called hyperscalers are welcome: the Eemshaven in Groningen and Agriport in Noord-Holland.
The owners of data centers also seem to have learned. Microsoft wants to expand from ten to sixteen data centers in the Wieringermeer. Where local residents were previously surprised, participation was no longer possible and the plans were surrounded by mystery, the American company now says it wants to be “transparent at an early stage.” As it should be, the permit application was discussed in a public council meeting.
Microsoft also wants to hire local companies for catering and maintenance of buildings, uses rainwater instead of clean drinking water to cool the systems, and the power capacity would be regulated. The seven million euros that the company put in local educational projects to improve the relationship with local residents are a nice gesture – so long that there is no role in the assessment, there are no conditions for the schools, and everyone in mind keeps that too much dependence on Big Tech is a danger.
It is still too early to conclude that a careful assessment is now being made in the Wieringermeer. The procedures are still running and it can take years before the data centers are there. But it is encouraging, precisely because the demand for even larger ‘gigafactories’ is already on the table. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an even greater energy slurper than all those e-mails, tweets and photos in the cloud. Netbeheer Nederland expected That the electricity consumption of artificial intelligence in 2050 will be comparable to 40 to 70 percent of the current total electricity demand.
That is why it is good that the House of Representatives recently asked for a vision From the cabinet to the expected growth of data centers, which means for the demand for electricity and for the necessity to make it more sustainable and use less energy. A newly composed room should also ask what it means for the physical space.
Putting the heels in the sand against the arrival of data centers is not possible. The Netherlands rightly strives for digital autonomy. The European Union rightly wants to build its own data centers to break free from the American tech hegemony. And it is unrealistic to ask from companies and consumers not to use AI anymore.
Although it is good for everyone to realize that every simple question you ask an AI-Bot-even that thank you at the end-costs electricity.
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