More than 100 data centres in the UK plan to burn gas to generate their own electricity, raising serious concerns about the country’s climate targets.
This shift is driven by lengthy delays in connecting to the National Grid amid surging AI demand.
The UK currently hosts around 477 data centres, with nearly 100 more expected by 2030.
Operators have requested gas connections equivalent to over 15 terawatt hours annually — enough to power London for nearly five months.
Officials describe this move as “inevitable” due to grid constraints.
The trend mirrors the US, where data centres operated by xAI, Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI rely heavily on gas generators, emitting significant pollution.
Some UK facilities may use gas permanently, threatening the goal of reducing unabated gas in electricity generation to under 5%.
Data centres also consume vast amounts of water — up to five million gallons daily per large facility — adding further environmental pressure as many operators withhold consumption data.
This reliance on fossil fuels highlights the energy-intensive nature of brute-force AI scaling, challenging Europe’s competitiveness and climate ambitions as the industry builds more and burns more.
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