Ireland has set out new plans to combine data center development with its ongoing sustainability targets.

The Irish government has published its Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP), setting out how it plans to accommodate energy-intensive sectors, including data centers and semiconductor fabs, while preventing excessive pressure on the country’s electrical system as it pushes to meet net-zero targets.

The plan, which was developed by the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, introduces a structured approach to planning large electricity users, moving away from site-by-site decision-making toward a national framework. The plan has received sign-off from the Irish cabinet.

The plan explicitly states that it aims to enable “Ireland to attract the next generation of investment in energy-intensive sectors, such as life sciences, semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and data centers.”

One of the most notable actions outlined in the plan is the development of Green Energy Parks, where large load users would colocate with renewable generation and supporting grid infrastructure. The locations would align with national and regional planning, as well as electricity network development, and will likely be in locations with excess renewable energy capacity.

The plan states that the parks will focus on the most energy-intensive industrial sectors in the period after 2030, including data centers, with plan-led sites expected to be at the scale of hundreds of megawatts of capacity. The plan said that it will prioritize locating large energy users where they support investment in renewables, effective grid utilization, and economic development, and are consistent with Ireland’s legally binding climate objectives.

The plan acknowledges, however, that grid constraints will continue to limit new large connections in the near term. In 2024, data centers accounted for 22 percent of metered electricity consumption, despite a de facto moratorium existing in the Dublin area for new data center builds since 2021.

The moratorium was partially lifted in December, following the announcement by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) that data centers can be built where they meet at least 80 percent of their annual energy demand with additional renewable electricity projects generated in Ireland.

As a result, data centers seeking connections will remain subject to existing regulatory controls, such as the 2022 Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy, which prioritises co-location with renewables.

The plan states that “Ireland intends to facilitate data center operations that play a proactive and positive role in our energy system, its long-term security, and its transition to renewable electricity.”

Another major theme is improved electricity system planning and coordination. Actions set out in the plan include better forecasting of large energy demand, closer alignment between industrial development and grid investment, and clearer engagement between government, network operators, and regulators.

Reaction to the plan has been mixed, with government officials lauding its potential to support renewable energy integration. However, some figures have cast doubt on the effectiveness of the plan.

Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore said: “I have major concerns with plans which went to cabinet this morning, which seek to lift the ban on the development of data centers in Dublin, which speak of “sustainable” data center development and colocating data centers with renewable energy resources.

“The production of renewable energy sources should be prioritised for residents and small businesses – approving new data centers only means that we continue to chase our tail in terms of climate goals and energy demand.”