The rapid spread of artificial intelligence has accelerated data‑center construction worldwide, triggering growing controversy over their substantial electricity and water demands. In the United States, dozens of gas‑fired power plants specifically intended to supply data centers are being prepared, while public and environmental opposition is increasing.
Off‑grid gas projects and emissions estimates
A July report by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) examined 74 gas‑fired power projects designed to provide electricity directly to data centers without feeding power into the electrical grid. The EIP estimates these projects could cause about 662 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually—comparable to the emissions of countries such as Australia or France, and more than twelve times Hungary’s annual emissions according to the report. Reuters documents and interviews with officials, residents, researchers and corporate executives indicate that these so‑called off‑grid projects are being approved rapidly in the U.S., often with limited public participation. Developers argue that privately built, grid‑direct plants are exempt from many federal rules, enabling faster progress without the multi‑year permitting, environmental reviews and public hearings typically associated with power‑plant developments.
Community and NGO concerns
Data centers require large amounts of electricity and extensive cooling, which can demand substantial water withdrawals. Environmental organizations — including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Food & Water Watch — have urged congressional action, and in December 2025 a coalition of more than 230 U.S. environmental groups called for a nationwide moratorium on new data‑center construction.
Public opinion data reflect this resistance. A Gallup survey conducted March 2–18 found roughly 70% of Americans oppose building AI‑focused data centers near their communities, with 48% strongly opposed. A July Reuters/Ipsos poll found only about one in three Americans approve of the rapid pace of data‑center construction. Most opponents cite environmental impacts rather than opposition to AI itself: around three‑quarters named local environmental effects (water use, energy demand, noise, landscape) as their primary concern. Politically, backing local data centers appears risky: opposition is broad across party lines, though Democratic voters are more likely to oppose local data centers than Republicans (56% vs. 39%).
International examples and European resistance
In Australia, AI firm Anthropic has signaled interest in major developments backed by government support; Alan Finkel, former head of the National Electricity Market Review, warned that achieving longer‑term goals such as 20 GW of capacity would be challenging and that such expansion could represent roughly a 60% increase in Australia’s electricity generation.
Europe is also seeing growing resistance. A October 2025 survey commissioned by Beyond Fossil Fuels across Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland and the UK found 72% of respondents support a rule that new data centers should only be built if accompanied by new renewable power. Seventy‑three percent said governments should set specific criteria for prioritizing energy allocation among sectors, and when asked to rank nine sectors for priority during energy or water shortages, respondents consistently placed data centers last. Concerns about water were pronounced: 69% feared impacts on their personal water supply, 75% worried about effects on surrounding ecosystems, and 72% thought local industries’ water access could be affected. Large majorities also demanded transparency on environmental impacts (85%), energy consumption (83%) and energy sources (83%), with 56% seeking disclosure about data‑center customers.
Legal challenges and precedents
A London School of Economics analysis of roughly 3,600 climate‑related lawsuits since 2015 found a growing number of cases addressing data centers’ energy sources, water use and air pollution. One early successful lawsuit in 2020 halted a planned Google data center in Cerrillos, Santiago, Chile, after residents and the local municipality argued that climate impacts had not been properly considered.
Ireland has become a hotspot for litigation and public backlash as continental hubs for major tech companies — Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft and others — have concentrated there. The IT sector is a key economic driver, but rising social tensions stem from increased water use and higher household electricity prices. The Irish government nonetheless continues to promote sector growth, despite data centers already consuming a significant share of national electricity.
Implications and possible responses
Sources cited in the reporting conclude that the tension between technological scaling and growing energy needs has evolved into economic, environmental and political questions. Proposed responses include stricter transparency and permitting rules, and policies ensuring new data centers are paired with additional renewable generation. Such measures could reduce local opposition and mitigate the long‑term climate impacts of data‑center expansion.
