Google's plan to build a new data centre in Dublin, Ireland, has been denied by the South Dublin County Council. The proposed 72,000 square metre facility at Grange Castle Business Park was expected to create 50 jobs once operational by 2027. However, the council cited concerns about the impact on the local power supply and insufficient on-site renewable energy as key reasons for rejecting the project.
The council's decision reflects growing public opposition to data centres in Ireland due to their high energy consumption. Data from the Central Statistics Office reveals that data centres accounted for approximately 21% of all electricity generated in Ireland in 2023, a significant increase from 5% in 2015. This figure is expected to rise to 27% by 2028, with data centres now consuming more power than all urban households combined. Google's proposed data centre was projected to indirectly contribute 224,250 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, further exacerbating environmental concerns.
Google, which already operates two data centres in Dublin, has the option to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála, Ireland's national planning authority. The company’s first data centre in Dublin was established in 2012, following a €75 million investment to convert a warehouse into its third energy-efficient facility in Europe. In 2014, Google was granted permission to build an additional two-story data centre adjacent to its existing facility.