Scotland ‘Green’ Data Centres Raise AI Emissions Concerns.

Scotland’s policy promoting “green datacentres” is facing criticism after new analysis raised concerns that it ignores the rising carbon emissions linked to artificial intelligence workloads.

A report by Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) warns that the definition of “green datacentres” in current policy is outdated and does not reflect the rapid growth of AI technologies such as large-scale models and tools like ChatGPT.

The Scottish government has positioned datacentres as a key part of its economic strategy, supported by renewable energy availability and major investment plans across the country. However, critics argue that the current framework fails to fully account for real-world emissions.

According to APRS, more than a dozen datacentre projects are seeking approval in Scotland, including large AI-focused developments near Glasgow. Collectively, these facilities could consume over 6.2GW of electricity—surpassing Scotland’s peak winter energy demand.

The concern is that many projects may label themselves as “green” despite relying on diesel backup generators and potentially shifting to gas-powered energy due to delays in grid connections.

Officials also highlight that the current planning framework (NPF4) was developed before the explosion of generative AI demand and has not been updated to reflect today’s energy-intensive computing needs.

Environmental campaigners argue that this gap could allow high-emission infrastructure to receive favourable approval under “green” classifications, potentially undermining Scotland’s net-zero targets.

The Scottish government maintains that it aims to attract sustainable investment while supporting economic growth and aligning with climate goals.