Data centres to be required to make their carbon emissions public

The regulator for Ireland’s energy sector is stepping up transparency requirements for data centres. A new draft policy from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) will mandate data centres to disclose their carbon emissions and renewable energy use.

With data centre energy consumption surging from 5% of Ireland’s electricity in 2015 to a projected 30% by 2032, regulators are also tightening grid connection policies. New centres must match their energy use with storage or generation—now permitted offsite—while also supplying power back to the grid when needed.

The policy aims to balance system security with decarbonisation, but critics argue it contradicts Ireland’s climate commitments, especially with no mandate for renewable power. As data centres expand, will sustainability or energy security take priority?

Read the full article to explore the implications.