Thousands protest AI data centres in Edinburgh

Thousands of people marched down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh towards the Scottish Parliament on Saturday to protest against plans for large-scale AI data centres across Scotland.

The protest

An estimated 6,000 people turned out for the demonstration, according to STV News and Friends of the Earth Scotland. More than 80 organisations and groups supported the march, including community campaigners, climate organisations, trade unions, artists and anti-poverty charities.

Campaigners said they wanted communities to have “a seat at the table” when guidance for data centre approval is drawn up, and said they felt their concerns were going “unheard”. Some carried placards reading “We cannae drink data” and “AI? Aye Right”.

The march is part of a Europe-wide wave of protests to “stop dirty data centres” and coincided with a Global Day of Action around the UN climate talks COP31 in Antalya, Turkey.

Concerns raised

Kim Cairns, a campaigner for Say No To Chapelcross AI Data Centre, told BBC Scotland News her community was worried about noise, road closures and access problems during construction, as well as noise once the centre was operational. She said: “It’s not going to enrich anybody’s lives. For Chapelcross it’s the sheer size of it, the amount of electricity it’s going to need.”

Gail Scott, a campaigner with Cockenzie Communities Action Group, said: “Our community is facing constant pollution and health risks from the potential construction of a hyperscale data centre on our doorstep.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland senior campaigner Kim Pratt said the proposed data centres would “crowd out communities, double Scotland’s electricity demand and make our energy bills more expensive, as well as trashing our climate commitments and using thousands of tonnes of precious materials, such as nickel and copper.”

Scale of proposals

There are more than 20 proposals for AI data centres of different sizes and in various stages of planning across Scotland, according to Friends of the Earth Scotland. STV News reported that, according to September figures from the National Energy System Operator, there are 28 data centre proposals representing 8.9GW of power in the queue to get a connection to the grid, which represents over twice the current winter peak electricity demand for Scotland.

The biggest existing data centre in Scotland is thought to be DataVita’s site in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, with a capacity for 12MW. A planned facility for Chapelcross, Dumfries and Galloway, would have a capacity of 1,000MW if it goes ahead.

Government response

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government will be publishing new planning guidance on data centres before the end of the year and, in parallel, is developing a strategic approach to maximising the public benefit from data centres located in Scotland.”

The spokesperson added: “Planning authorities are also now required to notify ministers of new data centre applications, with a new planning direction also mandating an Environmental Impact Assessment to be submitted during planning for all new data centres with a power capacity exceeding 50 megawatts.”

Innovation Minister Alyn Smith recently said data centres were “the whisky bonds of the AI sector” and told BBC Scotland some of the discourse around the subject was “wild”.

Why it matters

The protest highlights growing opposition to large-scale AI data centre projects in Scotland, with campaigners demanding a national conversation before any developments are approved and the Scottish Government preparing new planning guidance before the end of the year.

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Sources

• bbc.com: Thousands turn out in Edinburgh to protest against AI data centres
• ca.news.yahoo.com: Thousands turn out in Edinburgh to protest against AI data centres - Yahoo News Canada
• timesofindia.indiatimes.com: ‘Not going to enrich anybody's lives’: Thousands protest in Scotland against large-scale AI data centres - The Times of India
• scotsman.com: Edinburgh protest sees thousands march against AI data centres
• news.stv.tv: Thousands march in Edinburgh against AI data centres | STV News
• foe.scot: Thousands to march against AI data centres - Friends of the Earth Scotland

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.