Data Centres Emit More Than ExxonMobil’s UK Operations

Two data centre projects in the UK are set to emit more carbon annually than ExxonMobil’s UK operations, according to an analysis by Foxglove.

The first project, a £2bn, 300-megawatt (MW) development in Wapseys Wood, Buckinghamshire, will comprise three hyperscale data-centre buildings. The second, Quest Park in Bedfordshire, is a £9.3bn site with a capacity of 720MW and is expected to become one of the country’s largest data centres.

Ofgem reports that around 73 gigawatts (GW) of data centre demand is currently waiting to connect to the UK’s electricity grid, double the UK’s current winter peak demand. The two proposed centres aim to build on-site gas-fired power stations to meet this demand.

Both projects are among the first to be fast-tracked through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) programme, which allows developers to bypass local planning authorities and apply directly to the government for rapid approval.

Once operational, Wapseys Wood and Quest Park are projected to generate around 4.577 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year. Foxglove notes that ExxonMobil’s total UK operations emitted around 3.9 million tonnes in 2023.

Labour MP Tony Perkins of the Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) described the analysis as a “potent reminder that without the right measures in place, data centres could represent a serious threat to the environment and to our legally binding climate goals,” as reported in the Guardian.

The analysis follows reports that Spain is launching a consultation on stricter water, energy, and cybersecurity rules for data centres. Under the proposed rules, renewable energy must cover at least 80% of a data centre’s energy supply per hour of operation, with each new megawatt (MW) used matched by a new MW of renewable energy installed within 18 months before the facility begins operation. This can be achieved through long-term contracts or locally installed energy facilities.

Spain’s abundant renewable energy and land availability have attracted many data centres, leading the government to better position itself to select efficient and sustainable projects. The rules also require data centre operators to be established in the European Union (EU), keep all data and metadata within the EU, and implement mechanisms to control access from third countries, especially for facilities handling public or national security data.

Non-compliance could result in sanctions, including loss of the right to connect to the power grid. The rules apply to any data centre with over 1MW of power capacity that is not yet connected to the grid, with existing projects in the permitting process given six months to comply or lose grid connection rights.