Data centre social licence is essential for AI build out, says AirTrunk | The Business | ABC NEWS

In the space of just two months, two planned data centres by the Goodman Group and NextDC have been stopped in Sydney and Melbourne after fierce community opposition.

Australia’s largest private data centre operator, AirTrunk says social licence is essential, if the AI buildout is going to work.

The company has four operational data centres in Australia and one under construction.

AirTrunk’s Vice President of market expansion, Tom Mackellar says the company has further proposals for data centre builds in Sydney, Melbourne and the Kurri Kurri region.

“It’s absolutely a requirement when you’re assessing future data center development, as to what the impact on that local community is and making sure that you can obtain that social licence that’s so vital in the space that we’re in,” he says.

The Prime Minister saying there’s more than enough room for new data centres, but with clear rules for water and renewable power sources.

Mr Mackellar says the company welcomes the state and federal government proposed policies.

“We have a firm view that we should be matching the amount of energy we use with new renewable energy generation,” he says.

“We use 72 per cent of our energy use comes from renewable energy, and we want to really quickly ramp that up to 100% of our energy use comes from renewable sources…we see that data centers can play a really pivotal role in the expansion of renewable energy.”

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