The significant amount of energy needed to operate data centers is forcing countries such as Ireland to upgrade their energy infrastructure.
Ireland will need to invest €9 billion ($9.96 billion) in energy by 2027 in order to support continuous growth within its data industry, reports Data Economy.
According to a report by the Irish Academy of Engineers, 31 percent of the country’s energy stock will be consumed by data centers during the next eight years.
This year, the Irish people will consume around 30 TWh of electricity, enough to power 30 million homes, according to the Irish Times. Add data centers to the mix, and this is forecast to skyrocket to 40 TWh by 2027.
Experts predict, over the next eight years, as much as 30 percent of Ireland’s electricity demand will likely be produced from thermal generation, adding a projected 1.5 million tons of carbon emissions to Ireland’s air by 2030. The remaining 70 percent of electricity will come from a combination of wind and solar power, according to the Irish Times.
There were 53 active data centers in Ireland, with 29 under development at the beginning of second quarter 2019. More than 20 are located in the Greater Dublin area.