A main opponent of Apple’s planned €850m data centre development has reportedly objected to a proposal by Amazon to build its €1bn data centre in Dublin, which was due to be built this year.
According to Irish Independent, Allan Daly, an engineer from Athenry, Co Galway argued that permission towards the project should not be granted until Amazon is able to disclose how much energy the centre will use.
When the plan to build a data centre campus in Dublin was announced by the Internet giant in March, it was also revealed that it has filed a request with Fingal County Council. However, following his objection, Daly has also requested that the Council should not grant the permission until an assessment of Ireland’s renewable energy framework is completed.
There has been no deadline on when the assessment will be completed however, according to Independent.ie.
Amazon also previously told Fingal County Council that it may build an additional seven data centres at the chosen location, owned by IDA.
Read more: Amazon eyes new data centre campus in Dublin
Amazon’s Amazon Web Services division already has a number of data centres built across Dublin, although the current plan ‘Project G’ is seen as its most ambitious.
Similar to Apple’s plans, Amazon has confirmed that the campus will be powered fully by renewable energy. This is also similar to Apple’s opposition as it awaits final permission for the development of its data centre, which was originally also due to be built this year.
However, Daly doubts this being a possibility as he told Fingal County Council: “Any agreement to somehow ‘purchase’ existing renewables from energy suppliers creates a false nexus between Ireland’s existing wind farms and the development proposal.”
Similarly, the outcome for the court case relating to Apple’s data centre development has been suggested as expected to be reviewed this month.
