Written submission from Mr. Hleb Buziuk (EIF0053)

Greening AI – environmental sustainability of UK data centres and AI infrastructure

About the submitter. Hleb Buziuk, Independent policy researcher and human-rights advocate.

Focus. The environmental footprint of UK data‑centre/AI infrastructure: power & grid; water/cooling; heat‑reuse; lifecycle impacts (e‑waste, critical materials); transparency.

Why now. Data centres use ~2.5% of UK electricity, with consumption projected to quadruple by 2030 (House of Commons Library, 2025). Data infrastructure is now CNI; planning is shifting (NPPF, NSIP, forthcoming NPS). Demand and system impacts are uncertain; the inquiry will therefore prioritise environmental metrics, water risks and transparent reporting, rather than duplicating DESNZ demand work.

Actions for Government.
• Legislation/secondary (UK‑wide). Mandate facility‑level reporting: annual electricity, PUE/WUE, water sources/volumes, Scope 1–2 (with a roadmap to Scope 3); require disclosures for large AI training runs via a DSIT code of practice with a codified MWh/compute‑hour threshold and aggregated/interval reporting to protect confidentiality; require use of a unified site‑level WUE/water‑source template to be published by Defra/Ofwat/EA.

• Planning/NPS/NSIP (primarily England). Embed a phased, Ofgem/DESNZ‑aligned credible clean‑power roadmap with explicit deliverables: (1) a joint Ofgem/DESNZ consultation on additionality/time‑matching methodology; (2) time‑matching pilots in 2026; (3) scale‑up via NPS policy tests and NSIP conditions. Require catchment‑specific water‑stress tests linked to WRMP/Ofwat and the National Framework for Water Resources 2025; prioritise non‑potable/repurposed water and closed‑loop/reuse; require heat‑reuse appraisals with clear viability criteria (temperature, load profile, network proximity); circularity; biodiversity net gain.

• Regulatory guidance/coordination (UK‑wide). Commission from NESO a scenario pack (high/low/locational ranges and a network‑bottleneck map) within six months of inquiry launch; publish locational guidance aligning sites with clean power/network capacity and protecting stressed catchments and regional hotspots; integrate the sector into net‑zero and national water‑resource plans; convene Ofgem, Ofwat and the Environment Agency.

Reason for submitting. An EAC inquiry can scrutinise the Data Centres NPS to embed environmental metrics and reporting duties and set a phased standard for credible clean power – while acknowledging forecast uncertainty and substitution effects – so that digital growth supports climate, water‑resilience and nature goals.