Wednesday 1 July 2026,
14.30, Thatcher Room, Palace of Westminster
On Wednesday the Environmental Audit Committee continues its
inquiry on data centres as it considers the environmental risks
of expanding them in the UK.
MPs are currently considering the consequences of data centres on
the environment, including how much energy and water they are
likely to use, and what impact this could have on the
government's net zero goals.
In the first panel, the Committee will consider the case for
expanding data centres, with witnesses including the Institute. MPs will explore
whether the demand underpinning calls for expansion is certain or
speculative and what impacts data centre growth could have on
emissions and energy bills.
In the second panel, MPs will hear evidence on the environmental
impacts of data centres throughout their lifecycle, and whether
technology could play a role in reducing these impacts.
Witnesses
Panel one, from 14.30:
- Tone Langengen, Senior Policy Advisor for Energy Policy,
Institute
- Adam Eaton, Chief Executive Officer, VIRTUS Data Centres
- Arka Chanda, Associate, Centre for Economic Transition
Expertise, London School of Economics
Panel two, from 15.30:
- Dr Alejandro Gallego-Schmid, Tyndall Centre for Climate
Change Research, University of Manchester
- Stephen Busette, Lead Data Centre Vertical Market UK &
Ireland, Siemens
- Pablo John, Head of External Affairs, Association for
Decentralised Energy
