The Greens say the huge electricity requirements of data centres will delay the coal transition unless they are forced to purchase more than 100% of their power needs as renewable energy.
Data centres are investing in polluting gas projects and diesel generators while offshore wind projects are falling behind schedule and Victoria seems destined to miss its 2032 offshore wind target.
Questioned by Greens MP, Aiv Puglielli in hearings of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, the Premier seemed unconcerned by predictions of a faster than expected increase in the demand for power to supply data centres, while Labor is encouraging a data centre boom in the state.
Demand from data centres jumped 94 per cent in Victoria in the first three months of this year.
Ireland saw significant increases in electricity bills after a data centre boom led to increased transmission and generation costs.
The Greens say data centres at minimum must provide for all their power needs with wind, solar and batteries and make a further financial contribution to accelerate the stalled offshore wind or high-voltage transmission projects that are currently delaying the state's transition away from coal power.
It comes after an environmental effects statement for an offshore wind project, Star of the South, indicates it will take five more years to become fully operational.
The Greens say another half a decade to bring new renewables online isn't good enough and Jacinta Allan's Labor Government is instead prioritising new fossil fuel projects. Earlier this month the Labor approved the largest new gas project in over a decade in the offshore Otway Basin.
As stated by Greens spokesperson for Energy Transition, Tim Read:
"In the middle of a climate crisis, our government should be pushing data centres to open new renewable projects and help end our dependency on dirty fossil fuels."
"Jacinta Allan's Labor government has been too busy opening up a new gas project and attracting energy-hungry data centres while our renewable projects are falling behind."
