Tag Archives: data centers

CEQA, Energy, Planning, Politics, water

AI Data Centers Have a Heat Problem

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US data centers convert vast amounts of electricity into waste heat, which can raise temperatures in nearby neighborhoods. Researchers in Phoenix found temperatures increasing downwind of one data center there.

As the artificial intelligence boom drives greater power use and the expansion of data-center clusters near urban areas, cooling alternatives and heat-reuse systems offer potential solutions. But cost, infrastructure and limited incentives have slowed their adoption.

AI Data Centers Release Heat, Posing New Problem for Cities: https://bloom.bg/4jk7YmS

As facilities to power artificial intelligence grow larger and are built in clusters, they are sending hot air into surrounding neighborhoods.

CA, Energy, Politics, water

East Bay city hits pause on data center development

By TRD staff :  therealdeal – excerpt

Electricity and water requirements prompt council vote for temporary ban

Oakley, a city in Contra Costa County, has become the first municipality in the Bay Area city to impose a temporary ban on new data centers.

The Oakley City Council’s unanimous vote for a 45‑day moratorium halts all new land‑use applications for data centers, giving officials time to evaluate their long‑term impact, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The ban can be extended in phases for up to two years, allowing the city to craft zoning and environmental rules before the next wave of proposals arrives.

City Attorney Derek Cole said the measure will allow Oakley to “study, deliberate and determine the acceptable scope” of future development. The move follows public opposition to the Bridgehead Industrial Project, where developer JB2 Partners withdrew plans for a data center near Highway 160 after residents raised concerns about power and water consumption.

Council Member Shannon Shaw emphasized the need for a deliberate approach, noting that the city wants to “do it right” before committing to large‑scale infrastructure…(more)