In Switzerland, the number of data centres per capita is among the highest in the world, while the share of electricity they consume is among the highest in Europe. With some power grids already close to the limit, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) could put them under further strain. Data centres are multiplying across Switzerland – and so is public concern about their high energy needs. A survey by the NGO AlgorithmWatch CH found that 72% of Swiss residents believe new data centres should only be built if they are powered by renewable energy, and four out of five want more transparency in energy usage. Meanwhile, the federal government has said that meeting the country’s future electricity needs may involve a reconsideration of building more nuclear power capacity, raising fears of power shortages and even blackouts in the years ahead. Data centres are central to running our hyper-connected world, from cloud services to AI applications. In Switzerland, they account ...
