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Written question asked by Ellie Chowns (Green Party) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Martin McCluskey (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.


Natural Gas: Data Centres

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many data centres currently in operation are powered by gas; and what assessment her department has made of the emissions from these data centres, relative to those connected to the grid.

Answer

The Government does not hold information on the exact number of data centres that are powered by gas, however the vast majority of these assets are powered by the grid. Government is driving rapid progress to decarbonise the power sector by building unprecedented amounts of renewable generation.

Emissions associated with a data centre depend on factors including the generating technology used, its efficiency, operating patterns, and the carbon intensity of electricity supplied from the grid.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
24590
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Natural gas Carbon emissions Data centres
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk