Artificial Intelligence: Emissions

Earl of Devon Excerpts
Wednesday 23rd April 2025

(2 days, 9 hours ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Vallance of Balham Portrait Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)
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Recent estimates from 2022 show that data centres, including those for AI, account for about 4% of UK electricity consumption. The recently formed AI Energy Council, which is co-chaired by the Secretaries of State for DSIT and DESNZ, is set up to do exactly what the right reverend Prelate is suggesting, which is to ensure that we have a joined-up approach between energy and AI.

Earl of Devon Portrait The Earl of Devon (CB)
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My Lords, do His Majesty’s Government have a view on the merits of the Xlinks power project, which is designed to bring renewable energy from Morocco to the south-west peninsula via cables? Were it to be successful, this would provide a good renewable source of energy for data centres in the south-west.