Beyond the Moratorium Series: Understanding Data Centers
An Educational Series for Our Communities
Beyond the Moratorium is an educational series designed to explain what data centers
are, what they do, and how they operate during a moratorium.
Written by Sanja Whittington, Executive Director
Editorial Review by Robert Whittington, Jr., Chief Marketing Officer
Across the country, many cities, counties, states, and towns have enacted moratoriums on data center development. These pauses may last six months, 12 months, 36 months, or longer. Regardless of the length of time, a moratorium is just that, a pause, not a permanent stop.
Unfortunately, some community members may feel that the battle has been won once a moratorium is passed. While a moratorium can provide valuable time for research, discussion, and planning, it does not guarantee that a data center will never be built in your community.
When the moratorium ends, local elected officials may still have to decide whether to approve or deny a proposed data center. That is why it is important to use this time wisely. We must educate ourselves, understand what is being proposed, determine what we want for our communities, and identify what it will take to achieve those goals. Knowledge is power, and an informed community is better prepared to make decisions that affect its future.
Part One: What Exactly Is a Data Center?
We began this series by answering a basic but important question: What is a data center?
Data centers can vary significantly in size. Some occupy relatively small buildings, while others cover areas comparable to multiple football fields. Regardless of their size, they contain many of the same essential components. Simply put, a data center is a building that houses computers and the equipment needed to store, process, and transmit information.
Think of the internet as a global information highway. Every time we send an email, watch a video, use social media, shop online, or access information through an app, computers somewhere in the world help make that exchange possible.
Data centers house many of those computers and the systems that allow them to communicate.
Part Two: Server Racks and Servers. The Computers Inside.
What Are Server Racks?
Inside a data center, computers and related equipment are organized in structures called server racks.
Server racks are standardized metal frames or cabinets designed to hold, organize, and protect computer equipment. They also help manage cables, airflow, and the space needed to maintain the equipment.
Depending on its size and purpose, a data center may contain hundreds or even thousands of server racks. Large hyper-scale data centers can contain more than 10,000 racks.
A standard 42U server rack, for example, has 42 rack units of vertical mounting space. The amount of equipment it can hold depends on the size and configuration of that equipment.
What Are Servers?
The computers housed in these racks are called servers.
Servers are powerful computers that store, process, and deliver information, applications, and network services to other computers and devices.
They are essential to the digital world because they help us access websites, stream movies, send messages, store photographs, and perform countless other online activities.
In simple terms, servers help keep the digital world connected and running.
Part Three: Network Connections—How Information Travels
Servers do not operate in isolation. They must communicate with one another and connect to external networks to send and receive information. Data centers use networking equipment, including switches, routers, and other systems, to manage the movement of data between servers, users, and networks around the world.
These connections allow information to travel from one location to another, often within seconds.
However, operating thousands of computers and moving enormous amounts of information requires substantial infrastructure, including reliable electricity, cooling systems, and backup power.
These systems also raise important questions about the resources required to operate a data center and the potential effects on the surrounding community.
Part Four: Cooling Systems and Water Usage
Computers generate heat when they operate. Because data centers are designed to run continuously, that heat must be managed to prevent equipment from overheating.
Cooling systems remove excess heat, help maintain appropriate operating temperatures, and, depending on the system, control humidity.
Some data centers use water as part of their cooling process, while others rely on air cooling or different technologies. Water consumption varies depending on the facility's design, cooling methods, climate, and operating conditions.
This is an important consideration for communities evaluating proposed data centers.
A large data center can consume substantial amounts of water, potentially reaching millions of gallons per day at some facilities, depending on its size and cooling system.
In communities already experiencing drought, water shortages, or growing demand for public water supplies, this raises important questions:
How much water will the proposed data center require each day?
Where will that water come from?
Will the facility compete with residents, farmers, and local businesses for water?
What measures will be in place to protect the community's water supply during droughts?
Will the public have access to accurate information about the facility's water consumption?
These questions must be answered before decisions are made, not after a facility is approved and operating.
Part Five: Electricity and Backup Power
Data centers require a dependable supply of electricity because their servers and supporting systems are designed to operate around the clock.
One important component is the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
A UPS provides immediate backup power to critical equipment when the main electricity supply experiences an interruption or fluctuation. It helps keep equipment running while other backup power systems start up or power is restored.
Data centers also commonly use backup generators, which may be powered by diesel, natural gas, or other energy sources, depending on the facility.
These generators are designed to supply electricity when the main power source fails.
Because data centers must support continuous operations, their electricity demands can be substantial. The actual demand depends on the size of the facility, its equipment, and its operating requirements.
For communities, this raises several important questions:
How much electricity will the facility require?
Will the existing electrical grid have enough capacity?
Will new power lines, substations, or other infrastructure be necessary?
How will the project affect local electricity demand and utility costs?
What types of backup generators will be used?
How often will those generators operate, and what emissions will they produce?
These are essential considerations when evaluating the potential costs and benefits of a proposed data center.
Part Six: Noise, Light, Air Quality, and Other Community Concerns
Data centers are more than buildings filled with computers. They are large, complex facilities that require supporting equipment to operate continuously.
Depending on their design, location, and operating practices, they may affect nearby communities through:
Noise pollution: Cooling equipment, fans, and backup generators can produce noise, potentially affecting nearby residents.
Light pollution: Exterior lighting and security systems may affect surrounding properties, particularly at night.
Air quality: Backup generators and other combustion equipment can produce emissions when operated.
Water resources: Facilities that use water for cooling may place additional demands on local water supplies.
Energy infrastructure: High electricity demand may require new infrastructure or upgrades to existing systems.
The extent of these impacts varies from one facility to another. That is why communities need project-specific information rather than general promises or assumptions.
Residents should ask for clear answers about anticipated impacts, proposed safeguards, monitoring requirements, and how concerns will be addressed if problems arise.
Part Seven: Why Community Involvement Matters
A data center's operations are designed to continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That means the facility's resource needs and potential effects must be considered over the long term.
Local officials may have authority over certain aspects of a project through zoning decisions, permits, development agreements, and other applicable legal requirements. However, their authority is not unlimited, and the extent of their control depends on state law, local regulations, and the approvals governing the facility.
This is why it is critical to understand the proposed project, the applicable laws, and the conditions that can legally be required before a data center is approved.
Do not assume that every concern can be addressed after construction begins. Some decisions about location, infrastructure, and operating conditions may be much more difficult to change once a project is approved or built.
A moratorium provides an opportunity to ask questions, review evidence, understand the proposed development, and advocate for appropriate protections. The goal is not simply to support or oppose a project without understanding it. The goal is to ensure that community members have the information they need to make informed decisions about their future.
The Bottom Line: Beyond the Moratorium
A moratorium is a pause. It is an opportunity, not a guarantee of a particular outcome.
When that pause ends, decisions may still need to be made about whether a data center will be built in your community. The time to become informed is now.
We must understand what data centers are, how they operate, how much water and electricity they may require, and what effects they could have on our environment, infrastructure, and quality of life.
We must also understand the laws, regulations, and decision-making processes that determine what local officials can approve, deny, or require.
Our communities deserve informed decisions, meaningful public participation, and clear answers before development moves forward.
Because when the moratorium ends, construction may begin. That is why we must look beyond the moratorium.
Publication Credits
• Author: Sanja Whittington, Executive Director
• Copy Editor & Communications: Robert Whittington, Jr., Chief Marketing Officer
• Series: Beyond the Moratorium: Understanding Data Centers
• Publisher: Democracy Green©
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