FRIENDS OF THE Earth Ireland, An Taisce and Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) have called on Kildare County Council to refuse planning permission to a planned €3 billion data centre due mainly to the increased greenhouse gas emissions it will produce.

In August of last year, multimillionaire engineering entrepreneur and co-owner of Monaghan-based forklift manufacturer Combilift, Robert Moffett’s Herbata Ltd, lodged plans for the six data centre campus for a site next to the M7 motorway and business park at Naas, Co Kildare

Last October, the Council stalled the plan after stating that the projected CO2 emissions from the data centre campus on lands in ­the Jigginstown, Halverstown and Newhall areas of Naas represents 49.35% of the ‘Sectoral Emissions Ceiling’ for the entire Commercial Built Environment Sector to 2030.

The Council stated that the level of emission is “excessive” for one development.

In June, Herbata lodged extensive further information on the scheme in response to the Council concerns pointing out that the data centre will not be reliant upon the existing electricity generation and will get 50% of its power from renewables.

Consultants for the applicants, RPS stated that the utilisation of Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) would result in a consequent reduction of 552,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions

However, in new submissions ahead of a Council planning decision this week, Friends of the Earth Ireland, An Taisce and FIE call on the Council to reject the plan while County Kildare Chamber has urged the planning authority to grant permission. 

On behalf of FIE, director Tony Lowes stated that FIE strongly oppose the proposed development of six gas-powered data centres due to their projected high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and incompatibility with Ireland’s climate obligations

He stated that the development “could emit nearly one million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year. Over five years, this would account for almost a quarter of Ireland’s electricity sector carbon budget – posing a major adverse impact on national emissions targets”.

Lowes adds that “the mitigation measures proposed, such as Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs), the potential use of biomethane or hydrogen, and future district heating, are either mismatched, unreliable, unproven, or dependent on fossil fuels”.

On behalf of Friends of the Earth Ireland, campaigns director Jerry Mac Evilly stated that “the central message of this submission is that the applicant has not clearly or sufficiently addressed significant emissions impacts of the six gas-powered data centres.

“We therefore call for the application to be rejected,” he said. 

He said that “the proposed data centre’s extremely high associated emissions directly conflict with legal obligations to reduce emissions under the 2021 Climate Act and would undermine national decarbonisation efforts”.

On behalf of An Taisce, senior planning and environmental policy officer Phoebe Duvall has told the council that to grant permission “would be in contravention of Ireland’s legally binding emissions reduction obligations and contrary to the national climate objective”.

In a submission on behalf of County Kildare Chamber, CEO Sinead Ronan has told the council that “this project represents a significant and timely investment in Naas and the wider Kildare region, delivering multiple economic, environmental and infrastructural benefits”.

Ronan stated that “the revised proposals submitted in response to the request for further information highlight several key enhancements”.

She said: “Notably, the data centre will not draw power from the national grid. Instead, only a minimum of 50% of its energy demand will be met through on-site solar PV generation or renewable energy sourced via Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs)”.

Ronan stated that “this proposal presents a forward-looking opportunity to enhance the local economy, support employment and position Kildare as a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure.

“The project also has a clear alignment to planning policy, climate goals and heritage protection”.