Post: Government unveils data centre plans to enable the “twin transitions” of digitalisation and decarbonisation 

Government unveils data centre plans to enable the “twin transitions” of digitalisation and decarbonisation 

The government said it will support data centres which create or support jobs, do not impede the electricity grid, and contribute to the construction of renewable energy sources. 

In a statement issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 27 July, the government has said it will support data centres which create or support jobs, which do not impede the national grid, and which contribute to the construction of renewable energy sources. 

According to the statement, “data is an essential enabler of our increasingly digital economy [but the government] recognises the significant capacity constraints on the electricity system in the short to medium term, and the need for decarbonisation of our energy system.” 

“While data centres currently account for just under 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions, they are responsible for about 14% of Irish electricity use.” Under the revised policy, data centres will be supported where they are “associated with strong economic activity and employment” alongside other considerations including: 

• data centre developments that make efficient use of our electricity grid, using available capacity and alleviating constraints 
• developments that can demonstrate the additionality of their renewable energy use in Ireland 
• developments in locations where there is potential to co-locate a renewable generation facility or advanced storage with the data centre 
• Centres that can demonstrate a clear pathway to decarbonise and ultimately provide net zero data services 

Mark Davis, GridBeyond’s Managing Director UK & Ireland said: 

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