Google’s planned Dublin data centre rejected amid energy concerns

Googles proposal to build a major 72,400 square metre data centre in Dublin has been rejected by the South Dublin County Council.

In its refusal, the council noted concerns over the potential strain on the national power grid, saying there is currently insufficient capacity in the electricity network as well as a lack of significant on site renewable energy to power the data centre once it became operational in 2027..

Strain on Irelands power grid

Currently, data centres account for 21% of Irelands total electricity use, with this share expected to rise by up to a third by 2026

Data centres are becoming infamous for their high energy consumption. With the demand for digital services, cloud computing, and AI booming worldwide, major tech firms are investing billions in regional data centre infrastructure to support future growth. Whether the data centres local power grids will be able to meet that demand, however, is increasingly uncertain.

EirGrid, Irelands national grid operator, has warned of rolling blackouts if the number of foreign tech giants data centres was allowed to continue unchecked.

Environmental concerns

The Irish National Trust highlighted that Googles planned data center could also contribute an additional 224,250 tons of CO2 emissions annually, roughly 0.44% of the countrys total carbon output. This increase, they argued, would be in conflict with Irelands commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

National Trust planning officer Sean OCallaghan warned that the data centre is entirely incompatible with our obligations to reduce emissions.

The rejection of Googles data centre proposal reflects broader concerns in Ireland and beyond about the sustainability of data centres. As data centres now consume more electricity than all urban households combined in Ireland, the decision reflects the need to balance technology advancements with environmental responsibility.

Google, who have not commented on the decision, may yet appeal the decision.