tech
The Data Center Backlash Is Really About Abundance
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TL;DR
- Opposition to data centers follows historical patterns of resistance to technological innovation based on perceived consequences.
- Studies suggest data centers have modestly lowered electricity rates to date, though future increases are possible if supply doesn't keep pace with demand.
- Data center water consumption is significant but far less than residential landscape irrigation, with solutions focusing on peak demand management rather than bans.
- Data center carbon emissions are a fraction of national totals and depend on the grid's energy sources; blocking data centers does not accelerate decarbonization.
- The central problem is the nation's inability to build energy, transmission, and water infrastructure fast enough to meet demand.
- Moratoria on data centers ignore their significant economic benefits and fail to address the root cause of supply-side constraints.
- The solution lies in reforming permitting, accelerating interconnection, and investing in infrastructure to create energy abundance.