Mayo County is located in the West of Ireland and features rugged coastlines and scenic landscapes.
It was also to be home to a new 29,000 square metre (~312,000 square feet) data center. Mayo Data Hub Limited (part of US-based Avaio Digital) submitted the proposal for the €1.5 billion development which was approved by Mayo County Council in April 2025.
Since that approval, objections were raised by the community including a retired scientist and concerned citizens and related to the data center’s plan to use diesel generators to provide the needed 50MH of electricity and resulting greenhouse gas emissions from the fossil fuels.
The objections were heard and an independent planning commission, An Coimisiún Pleanála, reversed the approval and indicated that the lack of renewable energy sources, greenhouse gas emissions and the capacity of the existing infrastructure were some of the reasons for the application denial.
Data center developments are happening in many places around the world and if they are not being constructred responsibly, this example reminds us that the community can have influence.