AWA calls for more transparency around AI data centres

ALBERTA -- The Alberta Wilderness Association is calling for more transparency regarding the environmental impacts of AI data centres. 

With several of these controversial facilities proposed in areas across the province, advocates are raising concerns about what this could mean for the natural environment as well as the province's energy grid. This comes as artificial intelligence data centres are not currently subject to Environmental Impact Assessments in the province of Alberta due to them being classified as standard commercial or industrial tech hubs rather than heavy industry.

AWA Conservation Specialist Kennedy Halvorson says that by bypassing due process set out in an EIA, government officials have decided on the public's behalf that AI data centres are in the public interest without any substantiating evidence. She adds that research on existing data centres has found that their operations can have significant negative impacts.

"Having these assessments would be a wise way to proceed cautiously, and make sure that it's really worth investing significant amounts of land, water, and resources into this, and that it would actually be in the best interest of Albertans," said Halvorson in conversation with The One. "Where will they be sited -- are they going to be sited on important habitat, on wildlife quarters, on important agricultural land; all of these questions would be answered in an Environmental Impact Assessment." 

Halvorson notes that the immense energy demand of these facilities also comes with its share of concerns. This comes as recent studies have shown that some AI data centres can require enough electricity to power up of 100,000 homes, which could cause issues for the province's power grid. She adds that the sheer amount of water required for cooling these facilities also needs to be considered.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions about their water demand," said Halvorson. "Something like an Environmental Impact Assessment would bring that to light so that we would have all the data and information available to us to make an informed decision as to if these are worth it."

It's been reported that a large facility can use up to 19 million liters of water per day, which is roughly equivalent to the daily consumption of a city of 10,000 to 50,000 people. Other unknowns relate to possible quality-of-life impacts for those living near AI data centres. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, data centers emit sounds from the humming of cooling systems, rumbling of diesel generators, and whirring of fans, which can be heard for hundreds of feet around them.

One of the notable AI data centres proposed for Alberta is the Beacon Saunders Lake project in Leduc County.