Upcoming UK datacentres could emit more than 4.5 million tonnes of carbon

Two planned datacentres in England could produce more than 4.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year when fully operational, according to analysis by non-profit group Foxglove.

The Wapseys Wood facility in Buckinghamshire and Quest Park in Bedfordshire are expected to require a combined 1.3GW of electricity. Their projected emissions would exceed the 3.9 million tonnes attributed to fossil fuel company ExxonMobil’s UK operations in 2023.

The analysis highlights concerns over the energy demands of the growing datacentre sector, particularly as demand for computing power and artificial intelligence increases.

There are currently 315 datacentres awaiting connection to the UK electricity grid, representing around 73GW of potential demand, which is almost twice the country’s peak winter electricity demand.

Due to grid connection delays, the two projects are seeking to develop on-site gas-fired power generation.

The findings have raised questions about how rapid datacentre expansion can be reconciled with the UK’s legally binding climate targets and future electricity demand.