Scottish Greens demand pause on hyperscale data centres

The Scottish Greens are calling for an immediate pause on hyperscale data centre planning applications in Scotland. The party argues that the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government fails to provide necessary regulations to manage the surge in speculative proposals.

Greens MSP Patrick Harvie and co-leader Ross Greer expressed concerns that if all current proposals are approved, they could consume up to 6,000 megawatts of power, which is more than 1.5 times Scotland’s current peak power usage. They warned that diverting renewable electricity to these centres could destabilize the energy grid and undermine national net-zero goals.

In addition to energy concerns, Ross Greer criticized the government's broader programme, labeling it a “massive backward step.” His criticisms included the government's approach to the climate crisis, the delayed nationwide rollout of the £2 bus fare cap, and the decision to shelve plans to ban conversion therapy.