Full Story Why AI datacentres are draining our energy and water – Full Story podcast
Jan 13, 2026
Petra Stock, a dedicated climate and environment reporter, delves into the pressing environmental challenges posed by AI data centres. She highlights how these colossal facilities consume vast amounts of electricity and water, crucial for cooling in processing-intensive operations. Stock warns about the risks of depleting water in drought-prone areas and discusses the potential impact on Australia’s net-zero goals. With growing community awareness and opposition, she emphasizes the need for sustainable cooling methods and effective government response to balance technological advancement with environmental preservation.
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Hyperscale Centres Match City Power Needs
- Hyperscale data centres are massive warehouses filled with thousands of servers and heavy cooling infrastructure.
- One hyperscale facility can use as much power as a regional city of about 100,000 people.
AI Workloads Produce Massive Heat
- Both AI model training and user queries demand intense processing power that generates heat.
- That heat drives large energy and water needs to keep servers cool and efficient.
Cooling Method Determines Water Use
- Data centres use either evaporative (water-intensive) or air (electricity-intensive) cooling methods.
- Those choosing evaporative cooling can consume massive volumes of water for thermal management.