Environmental advocate Julie Bolthouse highlights that Northern Virginia is home to the world’s highest concentration of data centers, a fact that doesn’t excite her. “We’re the Wall Street of the data center industry,” remarks Bolthouse, a director at the local charity and advocacy organization, Piedmont Environmental Council.
Data centers are enormous facilities filled with computers that store and manage data for websites, corporations, and governments. Northern Virginia has been a prominent data center hub since the 1990s, thanks to its proximity to Washington, D.C., and historically low electricity and land costs. With over 477 data centers, mostly around Ashburn—just 35 miles from D.C.—the state leads the U.S., well ahead of Texas (290) and California (283).
Studies suggest that about 70% of global internet traffic passes through Ashburn and nearby areas, known as “Data Center Alley.” The rise in artificial intelligence (AI) and its demand for increased computing power has fueled a surge in data center needs, with Moody’s projecting a doubling in global data center capacity over the next five years.
Bolthouse and other local environmentalists oppose the region’s continued data center expansion, citing significant impacts on their quality of life. They point to new electricity infrastructure encroaching on conservation areas, parks, and neighborhoods, increased water usage, and emissions from diesel generators affecting air quality. Additionally, households in Virginia and Maryland are being asked to contribute to funding the required electricity grid upgrades.
Bolthouse and her fellow campaigners are pushing back by opposing new data center projects, influencing local zoning laws, and educating planning officials on these issues, while also advocating at the state level.
Around the world, similar opposition is rising. In Ireland, where data centers consume 21% of national electricity, Tony Lowes from Friends of the Irish Environment voices concerns about data centers’ impact on climate goals and local infrastructure. The organization continues to challenge the construction of a €1.2bn data center in County Clare, urging data centers to prioritize renewable energy and efficiency.
In response to environmental concerns, major data center companies are making promises to reduce their footprint. Microsoft, for example, launched its Data Center Community Pledge, committing to 100% renewable energy by next year, zero waste by 2030, and becoming “water positive.” Amazon Web Services (AWS) has implemented recycled water cooling in some of its centers and also aims to be water positive by 2030.
According to Josh Levi, president of the Data Center Coalition, the industry is leading in renewable energy, with data centers accounting for a large portion of the U.S. corporate renewables market and driving energy savings and smart technologies for various sectors.
In South America, campaigners have had some success. In Uruguay, protests led Google to switch from water-cooled to air-cooled technology for a new facility, addressing concerns over water use amid droughts. Google also suspended a planned data center in Chile due to similar water concerns.
Back in Virginia, Bolthouse urges the industry to further embrace sustainability, warning that rising electricity costs and water scarcity will ultimately affect data center operators as well. She remains hopeful for progress but acknowledges it may take time.
