AI data centres raise surrounding land temperatures by up to 9°C, study finds
By
Marium Ali, Hanna Duggal
Summary
AI data centres built by tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are causing localized warming of the surrounding environment, a phenomenon researchers call the "data heat island effect." A Cambridge-led study found land surface temperatures around these facilities rise by an average of 2°C (3.6°F), with some areas seeing increases up to 9°C (16.2°F). The article explains this environmental impact and where these data centres are located.
Source
bskyAI data centres raise surrounding land temperatures by up to 9°C, study findsaljazeera.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledA study by Cambridge-led researchers found that land surface temperatures around AI data centres rise by an average of 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), with some areas recording increases as high as 9C (16.2F).
Researchers have called this the 'data heat island effect'.
Data centres don't just use large amounts of water and electricity, they're heating the environment too, study finds.
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