Data centers could brown the landscape, or green the power sector
Southwestern Pennsylvania is anticipated to see significant growth in hyperscale data centers, attracting environmental concerns about energy and water usage. Advocacy groups like ProtectPT are raising alarms about potential strain on local resources and landscape changes, particularly in Westmoreland County. The state's existing energy infrastructure and programs like the GRID Standards are shaping this development, with calls for more sustainable practices.
Southwestern Pennsylvania is emerging as a significant new hub for hyperscale data centers, prompting discussions about its economic and environmental implications. This development, reminiscent of the region's historical industrial growth, is being explored as part of a Pittsburgh Media Partnership project. Environmental advocates and researchers foresee a potential "deluge" of these large data centers, each requiring at least 100 megawatts of electricity and significant water, raising concerns about resource depletion and landscape transformation.
Yvonne Sorovacu, an environmental scientist at ProtectPT, a group advocating against fossil fuel activities in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, specifically highlighted a proposed data center campus in Upper Burrell Township, Westmoreland County, expressing fears it could be surrounded by fracking well pads. She drew parallels to the industrial landscapes seen in Texas, urging preparedness for similar changes in local counties. Conversely, Dan Diorio, vice president of state policy for the Data Center Coalition, acknowledged Pennsylvania as a strong growing "tertiary market" for data centers, with approximately 130 facilities operating, proposed, or under development across the commonwealth, including at least 12 planned for Southwestern Pennsylvania. He also mentioned an industry trend towards "right-sizing" operations due to looming concerns about an AI bubble.
Further skepticism regarding the sustainability and necessity of massive hyperscale buildouts was voiced by Karen Feridun, co-founder of the renewable energy advocacy group Better Path Coalition, who cited examples of global markets scaling back such projects. Rob Altenburg, PennFuture’s senior director for energy and climate, emphasized that simply increasing power generation for data centers is not a sustainable long-term solution, advocating for strategic planning similar to addressing traffic congestion. He also pointed to the engineering challenge of making data centers more energy-efficient, drawing a comparison to the low power consumption of the human brain.
The state's approach includes the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Standards, which mandate data center operators to commit to building or purchasing their own electric energy to qualify for tax credits and expedited permits, aiming to encourage self-sufficiency in power generation amidst the rapid growth.