Data Centers Causing Huge Temperature Spikes for Miles Around Them, Study Suggests

A new study finds land surface temperatures rose an average of 3.6°F after data centers began operating, with extremes up to 16°F.

Researchers analyzed roughly 8,400 hyperscaler facilities using 20 years of satellite temperature records and found effects up to 6.2 miles away.

The study notes large facilities can consume gigawatts of power, and researchers call for follow-up work to identify heating mechanisms.