Data Centres – Energy Suckers: Us or Them?
At present in Ireland there are 53 operating data centres – 8 more are under construction with 26 having received planning permission.Â
Ireland is a prime location for these centres: we are in the E.U., we have a highly skilled young workforce and a climate suited to data centres (our cool temperate climate is ideal in reducing running costs as the heat-generating computers need to be kept cool).
Dublin is reaching its full capacity of data centres so there is opportunity for other cities now to attract these centres. Tiktok, with their €420 million data centre investment, Google, Facebook, Amazon; they have all set up shop in Ireland.
I myself am reliant on the internet for work and use these data centres – this I am fully aware of. Also, Ireland is in need of job creation and investment post-pandemic, so is this not a Win-Win? What’s the issue?
Well…. A report by Eirgrid has shown that the demands in electricity are due to data centres: in order to meet the vast electricity nee...
What is your relationship with your energy provider?
Utility bills are often looked at solely to see the total cost to be paid and then filed away.Â
How many people analyse them to become more energy efficient? Now there are many options in terms of energy providers, and I think it is time that we took a minute to see how they can help us, their customers, to analyse the information they are giving us. Â
A recent meeting with Pinergy Ireland has enlightened me on the way in which energy suppliers can be helpful to us in managing our use of energy.Â
How we use our resources comes down to personal responsibility but having a provider who can offer data for us to monitor and decrease our use is a step in the right direction. They can help us as we create positive changes by better understanding our consumption of energy. Â
Also, there are now many energy providers who have moved away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This industry is changing. Being less reliant on fossil fuel energy means that we, as a country, can move towar...
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At Fifty Shades Greener, we’re not your typical sustainability crowd. Here, green isn’t just a color; it’s a lifestyle, and we live it with a bit of cheek and a lot of heart. Our team, a quirky blend of lifelong greenies, seasoned educators, and fresh innovators, believes that every little bit helps and that education is the cornerstone of sustainable change. Born from a simple idea in a hotel’s green team meeting, we've grown into a vibrant community passionate about turning the hospitality world a shade greener. We think greenwashing is as outdated as last season's fashion and are here to ensure sustainability is as authentic as it is actionable. From the early days in Doolin to the bustling workshops of today, our journey has been about making sustainability accessible, understandable, and, dare we say, fun. We don't just throw jargon around; we break it down with practical advice and real-world actions that everyone, from hotel managers to cafe owners, can take. So, whether you’re looking to start your green journey or you're trying to make your business a beacon of sustainability, we’ve got the know-how and the can-do attitude to help you make it happen. And while we’re serious about what we do, we believe a little humor goes a long way. After all, if you can’t have a laugh while saving the planet, when can you? Join us as we continue to write our story, one green step at a time. Here’s to making sustainability not just a necessity, but a norm. Ready to add a little green to your scene? Dive in—the water’s fine, and it’s getting greener by the minute!
