In August last year, multimillionaire engineering entrepreneur and co-owner of Monaghan-based forklift manufacturer Combilift, Robert Moffett, lodged plans through his Herbata Ltd for a campus containing six data centres on a site next to the M7 motorway and business park at Naas, Co Kildare.
Last October, the council stalled the plan after stating the projected CO2 emissions from the data centre campus is “excessive” for one development.
In June, Herbata lodged extensive further information on the scheme in response to the council concerns, pointing out that the data centre will not be reliant upon the existing electricity generation and will get 50pc of its power from renewables.
Consultants for the applicants, RPS, stated that the utilisation of combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) would result in a consequent reduction of 552,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions.
However, in new submissions ahead of a council planning decision this week, Friends of the Earth Ireland, An Taisce and FIE call on the council to reject the plan while County Kildare Chamber has urged the council to grant permission
On behalf of FIE, director Tony Lowes states that FIE strongly opposes the proposed development of six gas-powered data centres due to their projected high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and incompatibility with Ireland’s climate obligations
He states that the development could emit nearly one million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. “Over five years, this would account for almost a quarter of Ireland’s electricity sector carbon budget, posing a major adverse impact on national emissions targets,” he said.
On behalf of Friends of the Earth Ireland, campaigns director Jerry Mac Evilly said that “the central message of this submission is that the applicant has not clearly or sufficiently addressed significant emissions impacts of the six gas-powered data centres”.
Senior planning and environmental policy officer at An Taisce, Phoebe Duvall, said that to grant permission “would be contrary to the national climate objective”.
In a submission on behalf of County Kildare Chamber, CEO Sinéad Ronan has stated that “this proposal presents a forward-looking opportunity to enhance the local economy, support employment and position Kildare as a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure”.
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