Drax datacentre could create nearly twice the yearly emissions of all Gatwick flights
Campaign group’s analysis of North Yorkshire plans finds datacentre would have to burn 4.9m tonnes of wood a year Drax’s planned datacentre could produce nearly double the emissions of all flights out of Gatwick airport each year by burning 4.9m tonnes of wood annually, an analysis has shown. Campaigners say this would make it “one of the dirtiest datacentres out there”. Continue reading...
Drax, a biomass power company, is planning to convert part of its power plant in North Yorkshire into a datacentre. This datacentre could have emissions nearly double that of all flights departing from Gatwick airport annually, according to an analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Drax's power station currently burns large amounts of wood to generate energy, which campaign groups argue is an unsustainable practice.
If built, the datacentre would require 4.9 million tonnes of wood annually, leading to an estimated 8.6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. This would make the datacentre one of the dirtiest in the world, according to NRDC's senior advocate, Matt Williams. The government has acknowledged the need for stricter standards for datacentres and has ruled out a moratorium on their development, citing concerns over job losses and economic growth.
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