Around three out of four people in Germany are skeptical about the construction of new data centers. This is the finding of a representative survey conducted by the YouGov institute on behalf of Welt am Sonntag (the Sunday edition of Die Welt). According to the survey, 72 percent of respondents expressed specific concerns regarding data center expansion projects. Issues frequently cited included rising electricity consumption, the potential impact of the facilities on electricity prices, and water usage for cooling the servers.
According to the survey, another point of criticism is the potential strain data centers place on local power grids. Furthermore, a quarter of respondents expressed concern regarding possible climate impacts, the burden new facilities place on local residents, and a growing dependence on major technology companies, as reported by WamS.
Image: Shutterstock
Federal Digital Affairs Minister Karsten Wildberger (CDU) expressed understanding for public concern in comments to WamS. “I understand that people across the country are asking questions about how the expansion of data centers affects them,” Wildberger said. “We need to provide more information and make it clear that local communities and regional businesses benefit from such facilities.”
According to the minister, selecting the right location—with sufficient space and suitable infrastructure—is crucial to success: “We therefore need to identify suitable sites early on where everything aligns: power supply, data connections, spatial planning, clear criteria, and transparency—especially to ensure public acceptance.” In Wildberger’s view, computing power is “the fuel for future growth and prosperity.”
In contrast, Green Party MP Anna Lührmann called for citizens to be involved in debates regarding the construction of data centers. “If data centers overload local power grids, endanger groundwater, or drive up energy prices, opposition will grow,” Lührmann told WamS. The public concerns highlighted by the YouGov survey should therefore be taken very seriously. Germany needs “smart expansion of computing capacity,” emphasized the deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on digital affairs.
Author: AFP – ha/ – Translated by Blackout News
Sources: AFP Press Portal