The Environmental Impact of Data Centers
Data centers are the backbone of our digital world, but they also have a growing environmental footprint. From electricity and water consumption to land use and CO2 emissions, their rapid expansion raises sustainability concerns.
Energy Consumption
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2021 data centers consumed between 220 and 320 TWh of electricity, accounting for about 1-1.5% of global electricity use.
Water Usage
Many data centers use water-intensive cooling systems. A typical Google data center can consume over 1.7 million liters of water per day.
E-Waste and CO2 Emissions
Aging IT equipment contributes to electronic waste. Globally, 53.6 million metric tons were generated in 2019, and this is expected to rise to 74.7 million by 2030. The expansion of data centers may also emit up to 2.5 billion tons of CO2 by the decade's end.
Land Use and Urban Impact
Large-scale data centers require vast amounts of land, often leading to deforestation or disruption of natural ecosystems. Some of the world's largest facilities occupy several million square meters.
Italy's Response
In 2024, Italy's Ministry of Environment (MASE) published guidelines promoting renewable energy use, heat recovery systems, and building in urbanized areas to reduce environmental impact.
Facilities over 50 MW must now obtain Integrated Environmental Authorization (AIA), replacing the previous Environmental Impact Assessment (VIA) for faster, more sustainable approvals.