Big tech's new datacentres will take water from the driest areas
a year ago
- #datacentres
- #water-scarcity
- #sustainability
- Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are expanding datacentres in water-scarce regions, raising concerns about sustainability.
- Datacentres use significant amounts of water for cooling, with 38 active and 24 under development in water-stressed areas.
- Amazon plans to become 'water positive' by 2030 through offsetting, but internal criticism questions the ethics of this approach.
- In Spain, Amazon's new datacentres in Aragon are licensed to use vast amounts of water, sparking local opposition and fears of ecological collapse.
- Google and Microsoft also aim for 'water positive' status, but experts argue water offsetting is less effective than carbon offsetting due to its localized impact.
- Arizona faces extreme drought, yet Google continues to build datacentres, raising questions about water usage versus economic benefits.
- Trump's 'Project Stargate' aims to expand AI infrastructure, but concerns remain about water usage and sustainability.
- Critics argue that while tech companies promise efficiency improvements, current trends show increased reliance on water cooling for AI infrastructure.