Data centers: Tech boom with downsides

The global proliferation of data centers, crucial for digitalization and AI expansion, presents significant environmental and societal challenges. These facilities are energy-intensive, requiring vast amounts of power and water for operation and cooling, leading to concerns about electronic waste and minimal local job creation despite massive investments. These downsides often spark local opposition, as seen with a proposed data center in Gross-Gerau, Germany, which was rejected by the town council due to its size and unclear environmental impact. Data centers are also critical infrastructure for national security, handling essential services from power systems to financial management. This makes them targets for cyberattacks and military conflicts, as demonstrated by the Iran war where Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers in the Persian Gulf were attacked, causing widespread disruption. The German federal government has even published a national Data Center Strategy to double capacity by 2030 and reduce dependence on non-European providers. In the United States, a legislative effort in Maine saw the state legislature vote in favor of a moratorium on data centers exceeding 20 megawatts, citing environmental and economic worries. However, Governor Janet Mills exercised her veto power, preventing the bill from becoming law. This incident underscores the tension between the push for digital infrastructure growth and local concerns over its impact.