The same is true with the water consumption that is needed to keep a data center cool. The industry has largely moved to a closed loop system that now uses “about as much water annually as a municipal golf course,” said Steve DelBianco, the president of NetChoice, a group that lobbies on behalf of tech companies. The same is true with noise abatement and other quality of life issues.
To my mind, the data center furor is reminiscent of the fracking controversy that raged 15 years ago. Opponents of fracking used to complain about methane leaks, groundwater contamination, and the disruption of communities invaded by the industry, among other things. But those problems have largely been dealt with, both by the industry and government regulators.
Read more at: https://www.thefp.com/p/how-to-build-a-data-center-joe-nocera