The answer to The Data Centre Problem in both UK & US is just sensible regulation. Have strict noise, pollution & water usage limits, make them pay for infrastructure improvements & renewable energy sources, fine the hell out of them for every breach or shut them down
@mattround closed-loop renewables requirement for power and water, rather than grid.
you want a datacentre, sure thing, but it's going to need to be energy and water neutral from the outset.
need 100MW and 3billion litres of water? not a problem. your site now includes a tidal/solar/wind farm for power, lotsa batteries for in-fill and sag, plus a reservoir.
that alone will make either MS-style underwater container farms A Thing again, or more remote/cheaper areas being flooded with infra.
