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Project team of investigative journalist Conor O'Carroll and freelance reporter Pablo Jiménez Arandia.

The Journal Investigates work on exposing data centre emissions shortlisted for global award

Our investigation was shortlisted alongside publications including the Guardian, BBC News, The Washington Post and Financial Times.

AN IN-DEPTH investigation which revealed the huge quantities of carbon dioxide being released from data centre generators has been shortlisted for the 2025 Sigma Awards. 

These prestigious international awards celebrate the best data journalism from around the world.

This project from The Journal Investigates was the only Irish investigation on the shortlist.

The nominated article was by investigative journalist Conor O’Carroll. It was part of a project examining the environment cost of the AI boom in Europe with Pablo Jiménez Arandia, a freelance reporter in Spain. 

It was shortlisted alongside well-known publications including the Guardian, BBC News, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, Reuters, Al Jazeera and Financial Times.

The Irish Times were also nominated as part the Dubai Unlocked investigation, a collaborative project involving over 70 outlets across the globe.

In total 37 project and 13 portfolios made the shortlist, out of almost 500 data journalism projects from dozens of countries who entered. 

Editor of The Journal Investigates Maria Delaney said it was an honour to be on a list with such an array of strong and impactful data journalism projects from around the world.

One of our key focuses in our investigative unit is to utilise data to expose the impact that issues are having on our society and environment.

“Support from our readers has really enabled our team to spend time honing our skills in this important area of journalism over the past number of years.”

 

Trawling through over 20 years of planning files

Our investigation revealed that data centres in Ireland using backup and emergency generators are releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide emissions. Our series was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.

These backup generators are used to keep the energy-hungry equipment in these centres operational during times of grid connectivity issues. They are not connected to the electricity grid and run on fossil fuels.

We uncovered that over 135,000 tonnes of CO2 was emitted from these centres in the last five years.

As companies don’t reliably report this information, O’Carroll sourced this data from an EU database. 

O’Carroll also trawled through 20 years worth of planning records to build a list of data centres that had been granted planning permission in Ireland. 

Our findings highlighted how some planned data centres intend to be powered by natural gas because they cannot be connected to the grid as it is under such strain. 

This pivot to natural gas was described by climate experts as damaging to Ireland’s ability to meet legally-binding climate targets.

You can browse the full shortlist here >>

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Dec 1st 2023, 11:49 AM

    Good.

    213
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    Mute lastfewchocices
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    Dec 1st 2023, 12:27 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: it’s excellent. Also interesting that the comments are open on this. Seems very random.

    129
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    Mute Jen McC
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    Dec 1st 2023, 12:45 PM

    About time, the point of the vote was so people no longer had to travel. If you offer a health service, it needs to be local.

    163
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    Mute Sheila McNulty
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    Dec 1st 2023, 3:17 PM

    @Jen McC: health service its certainly not that for the baby

    129
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    Mute Chutes
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    Dec 1st 2023, 5:39 PM

    @Sheila McNulty: You gonna look after it for life? If not then it’s nothing to do with you.

    60
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    Mute Gerry Kelly
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    Dec 1st 2023, 1:29 PM

    5 more hospitals will be allowed provide “abortion services”
    AND you won’t be allowed hold even a silent vigil outside if you believe it’s wrong to kill unborn babies
    Our new “tolerant” and “progressive” Ireland is indeed a wonderful place

    176
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    Mute Margaret Brennan
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    Dec 1st 2023, 1:38 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: what don’t you hold a silent vigil on your own womb ?

    193
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    Mute Joanne Husband
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    Dec 1st 2023, 1:46 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: nor should you be allowed to, make your own decisions for yourself based on your beliefs/standards/morals and leave others to do so also.

    161
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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Dec 1st 2023, 1:51 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: Who told you unborn babies are being killed?

    How on Earth would any sensible person arrive at that conclusion?

    50
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    Mute Ciaran Forde
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    Dec 1st 2023, 1:53 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: Yes absolutely the right call. Have the vigil in your backgarden.

    72
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    Mute Jon Doesn't
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    Dec 1st 2023, 2:14 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: light a candle in your own gaffe… Do as long a vigil as u like.. While doing so, ask gods forgiveness for poking your nose into other’s business and for judging others actions.. And if you have a green house, throw a stone or two.

    119
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    Mute Colm O' Shea
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    Dec 1st 2023, 2:16 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: you can hold a vigil, just not directly outside a hospital, feel free to have a non silent vigil outside the Dail etc.
    Not allowed outside hospitals because it has been used to intimidate women who are going for legal medical treatment

    94
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    Mute The Anti palestine And Islam
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    Dec 1st 2023, 5:29 PM

    @Gerry Kelly: F off with your vigil.

    29
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    Mute Chris O'Brien
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    Dec 1st 2023, 12:47 PM

    Imagine a hospital providing legal service being news.

    94
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    Mute lucia
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    Dec 1st 2023, 8:32 PM

    As a nurse I saw my first abortion in the 80s in the uk it was horrific I’m glad I’m now retired and don’t have to see it done ever again

    66
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    Mute Jason Memail
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    Dec 2nd 2023, 11:41 PM

    @lucia: Ever see open heart surgery? Horrific stuff.

    10
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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Dec 1st 2023, 7:15 PM

    So they are expanding this service. Contrast with lack of any provision of dental services for children who need general anaesthetics.

    40
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    Mute Karen Byrne
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    Dec 1st 2023, 6:24 PM

    Absolutely disgusting to do this
    How you’d sleep at night would be beyond me
    Have a bit of cop on go on something if you dnt want a child

    59
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    Mute Jason Memail
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    Dec 2nd 2023, 11:43 PM

    @Karen Byrne: The irony of telling people to cop on while displaying zero. Poor effort at trolling, 2/10

    5
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    Mute Simon Eales
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    Dec 1st 2023, 6:34 PM

    Two fingers up to the old Catholic Ireland. Viva la modern society

    31
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    Mute Seanfhear míshásta
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    Dec 1st 2023, 6:26 PM

    Good but why has it taken so long?

    23
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