Minister flags environmental costs involved in setting up data centre

Why in news

Karnataka's IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge announced a review of the state's data center policy to address high water and energy consumption costs.

Background

A megawatt data center requires approximately ₹70 crore and consumes 1.7 MW of power and 25 million liters of water annually. The state plans to establish a 'sustainable data center' policy in coastal areas like Mangaluru to attract hyperscale data centers requiring over 40 MW of power.

Facts for Prelims

• FactA megawatt data center consumes 1.7 MW of power and 25 million liters of water annually.
• FactHyperscale data centers are defined as requiring more than 40 MW of power.
• PlaceMangaluru is identified as a coastal area for the proposed sustainable data center policy in Karnataka.
• FactThe estimated cost for setting up a megawatt data center is ₹70 crore.

For Mains

Q. Discuss the environmental challenges posed by the rapid expansion of data centers and suggest measures to ensure sustainable growth in India's digital infrastructure.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

• Resource strain: High annual water consumption and power demand of megawatt-scale data centers
• Policy trade-off: Balancing rapid digital infrastructure expansion with coastal ecological preservation
• Technological transition: Need for sustainable cooling and energy-efficient hardware in hyperscale facilities

Keywords: Sustainable Infrastructure · Resource Depletion · Hyperscale Data Centers · Digital Governance · Environmental Impact Assessment

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