Ireland will demand that all new data centers in the country “bring your own power,” a sign of a growing backlash against AI infrastructure.
Dublin banned new data center construction in 2023, after a huge buildout left the sector using 22% of the country’s electricity: The “BYOP” approach is intended to reduce strain on public grids. Most US citizens are now opposed to data centers, a new poll found, and the issue will likely play a key role in this year’s midterm elections.
The UN forecasts that global electricity demand from AI data centers will double by 2030. But in the US at least, few politicians are calling for bans: The buildout is creating construction jobs and boosting the economy.
