A new survey from YouGov, on behalf of Alpaca Communications, has suggested that the UK public is more likely to back data centre developments when they’re powered by renewable energy. 

Of those surveyed, 75% said they would support the development of data centres when they’re powered by renewables, with support dropping to 40% when powered by nuclear, and to just 20% when using fossil fuels. 

That represents an issue for future data centres, especially with the rise of AI forcing facilities to find even more reliable sources of electricity as they consume ever larger amounts of electricity. Many data centre operators have been considering using small modular nuclear reactors, with the UK Government recently giving its backing to the technology – but it doesn’t seem like the wider public is onboard just yet. 

But while people were more open to accept data centre development when it was powered by renewable energy, the survey highlighted something critical to winning over support from the UK public – a lack of understanding. 

Just 8% of survey respondents noted that they knew ‘a lot’ about data centres, while 27% reported having never heard of them. That’s despite the industry being critical to the daily running of people’s lives – ensuring that everything from banking to social media remains online. 

That’s led to Alpaca Communications, with support from communication, arguing for the industry to give clearer explanations to the public, leverage sustainable power in their projects, and better outline how local people can benefit from a data centre being sited nearby. That’s especially important given the fact that while 52% support more data centres nationally, just 44% support a data centre being sited locally. 

That location gap is even more critical when it comes to making it through the planning process. Alpaca Communications suggests that developers make schemes relatable by tying them to nearby jobs, training, digital access and community investment to close that gap.

Sustainability is core to data centre development

When asked what developers should prioritise, sustainability ranks highest – environmental impact of development (40%) and operational impacts (28%) – followed by cybersecurity (35%) and cost (28%). Aesthetics (15%) and distance from homes (24%) trail these concerns.

Attitudes to AI are also mixed. Although most people have heard of AI, only 18% feel positive about its impact on the UK, while 42% feel negative. Data centres, which power AI and other digital services, remain largely unrecognised. Just 3% of people see communications and IT, including data centres, as a national priority for infrastructure development. Even among 18–24-year-olds, only 3% say they know a lot about data centres.

Alpaca Communications’ conclusion is pragmatic: public backing is achievable if projects are explained in plain terms, powered sustainably, and developed with early, transparent community engagement. With demand for digital infrastructure rising on the back of AI, it argues there is an opening for the energy and tech sectors to coordinate on renewables-backed capacity that earns public trust.

Peter Elms, Founder & Director at Alpaca Communications, noted, “Data centres are the critical infrastructure powering the UK’s AI revolution. But they’re invisible to the public. The sector has a choice: keep quiet and risk opposition, or go green, engage locally and earn trust.”

Luisa Cardani, Head of Data Centres Programme at techUK, added, “With data centres contributing £4.7 billion annually to the UK economy and supporting 43,000 jobs, the industry must now make sustainability central. The message from the public is clear: renewable power is the only option.”