Report: Irish datacentres consumed 22% of electricity, adding €360 to household bills
By
Rory Carroll
Pure flour-power. Hearty enough to carry you through lunch.
Summary
A report commissioned by Friends of the Earth Ireland reveals that datacentres in Ireland consumed 22% of the country's electricity in 2023—more than all urban homes combined—compared to just 6% in the US and UK. This energy demand has added a cumulative average of €360 to household electricity bills between 2015 and 2023, and drained €715m from the Irish economy. The report warns this pattern could spread across Europe as datacentre construction continues to grow.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledEnergy demand by datacentres in Ireland has added hundreds of euros to household electricity bills in a pattern that could be replicated across Europe
Ireland's growing number of datacentres last year used 22% of the country's electricity, more than all urban homes combined
The centres have 'drained' €715m (£620m) from the Irish economy and increased household bills by a cumulative average of €360 between 2015 and 2023
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