The SonntagsZeitung reports that Switzerland is now home to 86 data centres; only the Netherlands has a higher rate per capita in Europe.
The paper cites a 2021 study by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts estimating that the energy usage of Swiss data centres will double in the next five years, mirroring trends worldwide.
“Politicians generally underestimate this development,” Professor Adrian Altenburger of the Lucerne University told the newspaper. “The power needs of these centres are going to massively increase in the coming years.”
The International Energy Agency (IEA) meanwhile estimated that in 2021 data centres gobbled up 1% of global electricity. In Ireland, home to various big tech firms, such centres account for 14% of national usage, a figure which could increase to 27% by 2029.
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Swiss government finalises cloud contracts with five tech firms
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Authorities are to outsource certain data storage to cloud servers managed by Alibaba, Amazon, IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle.
With many countries unable to supply clean energy to power the centres, they can also play a role in environmental damage, the SonntagsZeitung writes. The IEA reckons they already account for as much CO2 emissions as the entire aviation industry.
In Switzerland, where much electricity comes from hydro, the climate footprint of the data centres can be kept somewhat better in check, the paper writes. Nevertheless, Altenburger wants authorities to adapt the building requirements for such centres in order to ensure a maximum in energy efficiency.
Swiss Evangelical Reformed Church numbers dropping in French-speaking Switzerland
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As in German-speaking Switzerland, the number of members of the Reformed Church in French-speaking Switzerland is also declining.
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The traffic jam at the Gotthard north portal reached a length of 20 kilometres on the motorway between canton Nidwalden and canton Uri.
Swiss Interior Minister visits Cannes Film Festival
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Swiss Interior Minister left the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday after three days of intensive dialogue, meetings and film screenings.
Swiss theatre director breaks with tradition at Vienna’s Rathausplatz
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With the proclamation of the "Free Republic of Vienna", the start of the festival on Friday evening was unusually political.
Swiss foreign minister backs Berset at Council of Europe
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Cassis described Berset as the "ideal candidate" to help the Council realise its aim of ensuring security and peace in Europe.
Gay conversion therapy banned in Swiss canton of Valais
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On Thursday, the canton approved a new Health Act which includes a ban on therapies aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity.
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New Swiss platform offers incomplete data on energy supplies
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The government has launched a new portal for consumers to check Switzerland's energy supplies and to help prevent power shortages.
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If every byte of information needs a physical location where it’s stored, one of the safest places could be inside a Swiss mountain.
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Switzerland is also suffering from the energy crisis, but a distinctive characteristic of its market is that it is only partially liberalised.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.