Artificial Intelligence Centers Engage in Conflict | Resources Deprived from Humans for Machine Sustenance (Farms, Water, and Electricity)
In recent years, there has been a growing trend of constructing large AI data centers on rural and farmland areas. This shift, as seen in investments like Meta's $10 billion data center in rural Louisiana, is causing concern over the reduction of land availability for agriculture.
The enormous electricity consumption of these data centers strains local power grids. In some cases, the demand can be comparable to that used by up to 150,000 homes, risking rolling blackouts and necessitating billions of dollars in investment for new generation and transmission capacity to supply power for data centers.
Moreover, data centers require substantial water usage for cooling. For instance, a data center in drought-stricken The Dalles, Oregon, consumes large quantities of water, contributing to local water shortages. This is particularly critical in drought-prone areas.
While data centers bring some investment, they generate few local jobs and often receive substantial tax breaks through enterprise zone incentives. Meanwhile, their energy demands increase emissions at power plants despite contracts for renewable energy, due to displacement effects.
Residential electric customers often subsidize infrastructure upgrades needed to serve data centers, raising equity concerns.
In summary, there is credible evidence that AI data centers contribute to farmland repurposing and impose burdens on local water resources and power grids, potentially negatively impacting food production and community sustainability.
[Image: Aerial view of a farmland with a data center under construction]
This article is the first in a series discussing the implications of AI data centers on rural communities and the environment. Stay tuned for more insights on this topic.
References: 1. https://www.naturalnews.com/2023-05-12-data-centers-impact-farmland.html 2. https://www.naturalnews.com/2023-07-15-data-centers-strain-power-grids.html
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