BUND warns of land consumption by data centres in Hesse ahead of state digital summit

Environmental concerns mount

Germany's environmental association BUND has issued a stark warning about the increasing land consumption driven by the construction of new data centres in the state of Hesse. Werner Neumann, a board member of BUND's Hesse branch, told the German Press Agency that these developments are not only consuming valuable arable land but also further displacing endangered animal species. The group also highlighted the significant water consumption required for server cooling and the immense electricity demand, which in turn necessitates the expansion of power lines.

They occupy the space and don't care about local conditions, throw money at the mayors and say: 'We decide what's going to be done here.'

Accusations of 'land grabbing'

Neumann levelled accusations of "land grabbing" against some investors, criticising a pattern where projects receive municipal approval without clear plans for sourcing electricity or utilising the enormous amounts of waste heat generated. He argued that to ensure orderly planning processes, data centres must be integrated into regional spatial planning frameworks.

Government response and upcoming summit

The criticism comes just ahead of the Gigabit Summit hosted by Hesse's Ministry of Digital Affairs on Thursday, 28 May, which will focus on the expansion of digital infrastructure, including data centres. Digital Minister Kristina Sinemus (CDU) acknowledged the complex challenges municipalities face regarding land availability, energy supply, and sustainability. She stated that data centres are "an essential foundation for innovation, value creation, and the jobs of tomorrow."

A transparent exchange on site is, from our perspective, crucial to develop viable solutions in mutual interest.

Guidelines and industry growth

Sinemus pointed to a new guide for the sustainable settlement of data centres and a dedicated Data Centre Office as a central advisory body, designed to enable municipalities to make informed decisions and further develop Hesse as a business location. She welcomed companies that evolve their plans "and incorporate feedback from municipalities and citizens." According to estimates from the digital association Bitkom, the total capacity of all German data centres will exceed 3,000 megawatts for the first time this year. The state ministry notes that more than a third of this capacity is located in the greater Frankfurt area, which also hosts one of the world's largest internet nodes.