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Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

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Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#131

Post by RajT88 »

watwut wrote: post #83
RajT88 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're building a mass of DC's near me as well in northern IL (not quite as many as by you). I see a lot of weird stuff on social media - people inactive for years all of a sudden becoming super-activists and posting non-stop anti-DC content. Nearly identical content to what's being pushed by a bunch of faceless accounts named like "Water4All","Nature Reign" - something vaguely environmental sounding. Talking points…

> We should call data centers what they actually are: surveillance centers designed to put us all in a digital prison by 2030 I mean, isnt that what Karp, Thiel are openly saying and one of the things Antropic doom trolls about?

Yeah, but the thing is - those guys aren't using the majority of data center capacity out there.

The Anti-DC crowd doesn't appreciate that the surveillance state is coming with our without all these DC's being built. That is going to get hosted some where, some way. The fix is regulatory and political.

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#132

Post by SoftTalker »

giancarlostoro wrote: post #111
redlewel wrote: post #30

I think this is because the demand is so extreme for datacenters now that companies are building them in a manner that disrupts the environment around them. The newer ones are using on-site generators that are insanely loud and require multiples more power than datacenters have historically needed. For a rack with traditional servers with just RAM/CPU/Drives, 5kW is sufficient in most cases. When you have racks that…

I wonder how long till they start scooping up old abandoned towns?

That's what they should do. Datacenters don't need to be in anyone's backyard. The US has vast amounts of unused land as well as urban brownfields that are sitting empty. Put them there.

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#133

Post by maerF0x0 »

mikestew wrote: post #85
maerF0x0 wrote: post #65

IMO NIMB should be illegal, so long as the builder meets standards. Maybe those standards should rise to include ambient noise requirements, heat dissipation, capital contributions to water/electricity supply, additional tax burden points (for land use without, maybe?). But I also feel there needs to be an assertion that if you own the land it's your property and you're free to do most things with it, safely and poli…

This is about property rights and freedoms. Your property rights stop where my ears are. Or I have the freedom to not listen to your gas turbine. Or however one wishes to flip that on its head. Whether you own the property or not, that property isn’t in a vacuum.

That is all covered by my point about regulations rising to the task. Did you read the whole comment?

The point is you should be allowed to have a gas turbine (or whatever generator meets the requirements), if it meets emissions, noise, and heat regulations.

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#134

Post by dylan604 »

dv_dt wrote: post #41
Aurornis wrote: post #20

I agree that I don’t want a data center in my backyard either. What’s missing from this strange conversation is discussion about how many data center proposals are near residential areas. I tried to look for one in my state and a few surrounding areas and couldn’t find any. There was an amusing story about how data center protestors had to organize expensive bus trips to get the protesters out to the data center site…

Does a data center need to be an immediate neighbor to raise electricity rates or consume water capacity?

This is such an obvious concern that it's hard to understand how the GP didn't think of it as well. Clearly, people don't always consider all the things and get focused in so they can't see the forest for the trees.

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#135

Post by SoftTalker »

Aurornis wrote: post #20

I agree that I don’t want a data center in my backyard either. What’s missing from this strange conversation is discussion about how many data center proposals are near residential areas. I tried to look for one in my state and a few surrounding areas and couldn’t find any. There was an amusing story about how data center protestors had to organize expensive bus trips to get the protesters out to the data center site…

It's easy for politicians to support a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Nobody will really oppose it, and it's a safe way to appear to be "fighting for the community."

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#136

Post by maerF0x0 »

artisinal wrote: post #122
maerF0x0 wrote: post #65

IMO NIMB should be illegal, so long as the builder meets standards. Maybe those standards should rise to include ambient noise requirements, heat dissipation, capital contributions to water/electricity supply, additional tax burden points (for land use without, maybe?). But I also feel there needs to be an assertion that if you own the land it's your property and you're free to do most things with it, safely and poli…

Good luck upgrading your home’s electrical service to charge an EV, only to be told it’s impossible because the nearby data center has already consumed all the available grid capacity. Happened to family of mine. Not in the US though. They charge their EV with a 3kW charger now.

That is an invested capital issue. If it's not worth building a plant, they wont. The supply will fall until the prices rise enough to incentivize new plants. If the elec prices rise enough the datacenters will find alternate solutions .

It seems like people are some how railing against basic economics?

Like if we dont like it we have a marketplace of alternatives, the opportunity to invest in new supply, and the choice to not consume said energy if the price is too high...

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#137

Post by adamrezich »

1970-01-01 wrote: post #127
adamrezich wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

I don't know what agenda you're going with, but it isn't reality. They're destroying water tables. I'll leave this link here for you to read if you're brave enough to step outside your Captain Planet cartoon narrative and have an actual look at the water consumption problem. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-impacts-data-cent... Or if you prefer; a much deeper non-vibecoded, scientific source with lots of ci…

Why am I supposed to take a janky-ass web visualization, completely devoid of citations as far as I can tell, and which was, itself, almost certainly vibecoded, at face value, as a valid argument?

I love how you went from posting links to articles to make arguments for you, to then editing your comment to link to a $250 book that I should buy and read, so it can make your argument for you.

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#138

Post by s1artibartfast »

e40 wrote: post #70
redlewel wrote: post #30

I think this is because the demand is so extreme for datacenters now that companies are building them in a manner that disrupts the environment around them. The newer ones are using on-site generators that are insanely loud and require multiples more power than datacenters have historically needed. For a rack with traditional servers with just RAM/CPU/Drives, 5kW is sufficient in most cases. When you have racks that…

> I think this is because the demand is so extreme for datacenters now Point to _any_ analysis that says the current building boom is anything but speculation. xAI is renting out their DC space. I think I read that Google is, too. DC buildout is purely a gold rush. A play to be the one left standing after all the weaker players die.

Speculation isn't a dirty word and both can be true.

Demand is very high today and exceeds capacity. Builders think demand will continue to grow. This seems plainly correct. Firms may differ in how high demand will go, but it is still more than today.

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#139

Post by jacobgkau »

catlover76 wrote: post #80
e40 wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think this is because the demand is so extreme for datacenters now Point to _any_ analysis that says the current building boom is anything but speculation. xAI is renting out their DC space. I think I read that Google is, too. DC buildout is purely a gold rush. A play to be the one left standing after all the weaker players die.

You are trying to pick a fight with a post that isn't making the point you assume it is. All that guy is saying is that there is a rush to build them, which is objectively true. Whether or not the datacenters return on the investment is a different question.

There's a demand for data centers, but maybe not a demand for actual usages of the data centers. That's the distinction I think they were trying to make by pointing to existing data centers not even being used to full capacity in-house (and being rented out instead).

Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers

#140

Post by dec0dedab0de »

Aurornis wrote: post #20

I agree that I don’t want a data center in my backyard either. What’s missing from this strange conversation is discussion about how many data center proposals are near residential areas. I tried to look for one in my state and a few surrounding areas and couldn’t find any. There was an amusing story about how data center protestors had to organize expensive bus trips to get the protesters out to the data center site…

Most of it is anti-AI sentiment, there are already a ton of people who have lost jobs, or clients to AI.

What bothers me is clearing forests, sometimes even protected forests with the idea that they'll ask for forgiveness instead of permission.

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