In California, data center builders are using shortcuts in state power plant regulations to construct facilities that rely heavily on diesel generators for backup power, a move that has significant environmental and public health implications. Since 2017, approvals have been granted for over 1 gigawatt of diesel energy, which could power nearly 162,000 households for a year. Despite previous efforts to expand the Small Power Plant Exemption for larger energy capacities, reliance on fossil fuels is rising as global data center energy demands are projected to increase significantly by 2030.
Data centers in California, powered by diesel generators, are increasingly contributing to energy consumption and climate change, causing health risks in surrounding communities.
The Small Power Plant Exemption process, initially for emergency power plants, is being exploited to approve diesel energy for data centers amid rising energy demands.
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