{
  "id": 19561197,
  "title": "Developer says gigantic WA data centre will not use fracked gas",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/developer-says-gigantic-wa-data-centre-will-not-use-fracked-gas",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-11T22:02:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-12/gingerah-concerns-data-centre-fracked-gas/107364340"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A proposed 1,000-megawatt data centre and renewable energy hub in northern Western Australia has faced scrutiny over its potential use of fracked gas. Gingerah Energy, the joint venture company behind the project, has reassured the public that the facility will primarily be powered by renewables, with gas sourced from the domestic market as backup. The site is located on Karajarri country, near Broome, about 2,000 kilometres north of Perth.\n\nChief executive Jop van Hattum stated that initially, solar, batteries, gas, and later wind would power the centre, with renewables providing more than 85% of the facility's energy demand. He added that Gingerah hopes to increase the renewable energy capacity to 94% as the project expands towards its full one-gigawatt capacity. While there is no ban on fracking in the Kimberley's Canning basin, no projects have received the necessary approvals to proceed.\n\nCritics, including environmentalists, have raised concerns about the potential use of fracked gas, citing risks such as water contamination and long-term climate impacts. Van Hattum assured that the gas would be sourced from the domestic market, not from fracking activities in the Kimberley. However, concerns remain as to whether the gas could come from unconventional sources, such as fracking or conventional wells, operated by other companies like Buru Energy and Theia Energy.\n\nEnvironmental experts have pointed out that while the data centre would add a small percentage to Western Australia's total gas demand, the project is not large enough to drive further gas exploration or fracking in the Kimberley. The Grattan Institute's Alison Reeve estimated the Meridien data centre would need about eight terajoules of gas per day in its initial phase and about 32 terajoules at full capacity. However, she noted that the project would not lead to more gas exploration in the region due to existing gas supplies.",
  "summary": "Concerns about the proposed mega data centre in Western Australia come amid growing opposition to similar facilities in the United States.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}