Growing opposition to data centers has prompted AWS CEO Matt Garman to respond. A series of myths surrounding water and electricity consumption are reportedly circulating, which Garman aims to debunk. He also promises that his company will provide financial support to local communities near data center locations.
Garman’s extensive argument begins with a comparison to the expansion of physical infrastructure in the U.S. after World War II. He notes that today’s construction revolves around digital infrastructure and is funded by private investors. Meanwhile, he argues, the U.S. is engaging in a form of self-sabotage by imposing moratoriums on the construction of various types of data centers.
This resistance is widespread across the U.S. and has parallels in Europe, including Amsterdam. In July, New York became the first state to impose a one-year moratorium on large new data centers, due to concerns about electricity costs and water usage. In September, Texas suspended all state permits for data centers until an audit of the power grid is completed. This resistance is not successful everywhere. Last week, for example, the Senate blocked a bill that would have required large electricity consumers to pay more for grid infrastructure.
Four myths according to Garman
Garman lists four alleged myths. According to him, an average AWS data center consumes the equivalent of less than 49,000 liters of water per day, comparable to 42 U.S. households. It is unclear to what extent there are outliers on the high end, but that average undoubtedly includes both AI hyperscale racks and regular servers.
He attributes higher electricity prices to an aging grid. Garman notes that about 70 percent of high-voltage power lines are more than 25 years old. Backup generators, often a source of resistance because they run on diesel or other fossil fuels, operate for about ten hours per year. In addition, AWS claims a global PUE of 1.14 by 2025, compared to an average of 1.25 across the entire IT industry. AWS had previously reported a region with a nearly perfect PUE score.
No more NDAs
In the new Amazon Data Center Commitment, AWS promises, among other things, that its data centers will not drive up energy bills for nearby residents. The company also states that it will no longer enter into non-disclosure agreements with government agencies. Furthermore, it will now publish annual energy and water consumption figures, following the lead of companies such as Google and Microsoft.
See also: Dutch government doesn’t know how much energy Google and Microsoft data centers consume