Large data centers use massive amounts of electricity and must dispose of correspondingly massive amounts of heat. This is basic physics. “Heat islands” around data centers have been found to have average temperature increases of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and up to 16.4 degrees Fahrenheit in extreme cases. This heat island effect can be felt up to 6.2 miles away, affecting more than 340 million people worldwide. It can be a significant health hazard, especially when surrounding temperatures are already high.

Just one 169 MW data center produces waste heat equal to that produced by about 200,000 houses, concentrated in a relatively small area. This waste heat is produced 24/7, primarily by air-cooled chillers, and is 2 to 6 times greater than peak solar gain.

For more information on the data center heat island effect see:

• Turning down the heat from data centers
• New Evidence Data Centers May Cause Hotter Weather
• Scientists have found an alarming environmental impact of vast data centers