MPs fear data centre boom could derail Miliband's net zero plans

MPs fear data centre boom could derail Miliband's net zero plans Ed Miliband has been urged to explain whether a planned boom in energy-hungry data centres have been factored into his plans to deliver net zero carbon emissions. In a letter to the energy secretary, Labour MP Toby Perkins, who chairs the Environmental Audit Committee, said data centres are a key area of concern in hitting the emissions target. Data centres are giant facilities full of powerful computers used to run digital services, such as streaming and artificial intelligence (AI). The government has backed plans for many more to be built to help turn the UK into an AI superpower, despite the large amounts of electricity needed to run them, including from gas-powered generators. Perkins said it was concerning that the UK government was relying on a carbon-reduction plan that made no allowance for the impact of data centres.