Residents near Slough, home to Europe's largest datacentre hub, report unbearable heat during the ongoing summer, raising concerns about the impact of energy-intensive facilities on local climate. Nabeel Nawaz, a local store manager, described the heat as 'pinching your body and burning your skin.' While the extreme temperatures could be attributed to broader climate change, emerging research suggests that the numerous datacentres in the area may also exacerbate the situation.
Slough has become a significant datacentre location, hosting approximately 30 to 40 large facilities operated by major companies like Equinix and Digital Realty. These datacentres cater to tech giants such as Amazon, Google, Oracle, and Microsoft. Further developments are planned on the outskirts of the existing campus, which could increase the heat generated in the area.
Recent studies, including research from Cambridge University, indicate that datacentres create a heat island effect, raising local temperatures by an average of 2°C, with some areas experiencing increases as high as 9°C. This phenomenon is primarily due to the cooling systems required to manage the heat produced by sensitive electronic equipment, including advanced AI chips. Andrea Marinoni, an associate professor at Cambridge and a co-author of the research, noted that while the findings are still in early stages, they highlight the significant impact of datacentres on their surroundings.
In response to these challenges, the UK government has proposed utilizing waste heat from datacentres to provide warmth for thousands of homes, indicating a potential shift towards more sustainable practices in the tech industry. However, the long-term implications of datacentre expansion on local climates remain a pressing concern for residents and environmentalists alike.