New research challenges industry claims about the economic benefits of datacentres, suggesting they will employ far fewer workers than previously estimated. While tech sector groups project over 40,000 jobs from planned facilities, an environmental thinktank estimates the actual figure will be just 10,400. The findings also highlight concerns over the facilities’ significant energy consumption, raising questions about their sustainability. Critics argue the gap between projections and reality underscores the need for closer scrutiny of the industry’s growth plans.
Facilities likely to employ 10,400 workers, compared with 40,000 in industry estimates, thinktank saysDatacentres in the UK will create just a quarter of the jobs predicted by the tech sector, while consuming vast amounts of energy, according to new research.Environmental thinktank Verdant predicts that all the datacentres currently planned are likely to directly employ 10,400 workers – compared with the more than 40,000 cited in projections by the industry lobby group TechUK. Continue reading...
