According to a new report, one in five of the UK's data centres could be housed in Scotland, with evidence suggesting many more could be built than are currently in the planning system.
There are 24 proposed and publicly known projects at various stages of planning and pre-planning, the most recent being a proposal for the site of the former IBM plant in Greenock.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO), which plans and operates UK energy systems, has said that up to 20% of the UK's data centres could be in Scotland, even though Scotland makes up just 8% of the UK population.
That would mean Scotland could host more than 70 data centres to meet UK demand, or 16GW of capacity, equivalent to the electricity used by 8 million homes.
Business groups and public bodies are pushing for more data centres, which they see as vital for driving technological change and meeting growing demand for digital services.
Communities have raised concerns about the impact of proposed hyperscale data centre developments, though brownfield site proposals may get a warmer reception.
At the end of last week, Slate Island Developments applied to Inverclyde Council to redevelop the vacant land that IBM occupied at Spango Valley for 60 years.
IBM opened a typewriter manufacturing plant on the vast site in 1954, with employment peaking at about 5,000 staff towards the end of the 1990s. The plant closed in 2016 and the buildings were demolished in 2020.
The 70-acre site is owned by Sandy and James Easdale, who own McGill's Buses and previously failed to secure housing plans. Sandy Easdale is the sole director of Slate Developments, whose indicative proposal includes four data centre buildings providing around 80,000 sq m of floorspace.
The Scottish government has required local authorities to notify it of large-scale proposals.
NESO's statement came in its response to the UK Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee inquiry into data centres. Separately, Ofgem has said data centre plans will require 80GW across the UK. Current plans in Scotland total 4.5GW, but that would need to rise to 16GW
