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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I sit down with Ciaran Flanagan, who leads Siemens’ Global Data Centre business, to unpack the evolving role of data centres in our energy and climate systems.

We dig into the data centre’s journey from a “sausage machine” of power-hungry servers to a potential hero in grid stability and renewable energy adoption. Ciaran shares how data centres in Ireland, despite consuming up to 20% of national electricity, are driving economic growth and pioneering greener practices.

We explore why digital twins are more than a buzzword, enabling smarter design and cutting resource waste. Ciaran also explains how AI’s explosive demand pressures the grid while offering real-time energy optimisations to make data centres more sustainable.

Key highlights:

• The role of data centres as catalysts for renewable energy growth
• How digital twin technology can cut construction emissions and energy use
• AI’s double-edged impact on data centre sustainability
• The regulatory shift pushing data centre operators to report and reduce emissions

We also touch on the often-overlooked economic benefits of data centres, from direct jobs to the broader tech ecosystem.

The report I referred to in the podcast is available here.

Listen in to learn how the data centre industry is pivoting from climate problem to climate solution.

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Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper