Data center backlash spreads across Europe and Asia

01The Story新闻事实

Public opposition to AI data centers is spreading beyond the U.S., affecting investment plans in Europe and prompting local resistance in South Korea. Concerns include electricity and water use, land requirements, limited local benefits and safety risks. Tighter rules and delayed approvals are increasing uncertainty and potential costs for operators and investors.针对人工智能数据中心的公众反对情绪正从美国蔓延至欧洲，并在韩国引发地方层面的抵制，影响投资计划。争议主要集中在用电和用水、土地需求、对当地的有限收益以及安全风险上。更严格的规定和审批延迟正在增加运营商及投资者面临的不确定性和潜在成本。

Public opposition has affected about $42 billion in European data center investments, compared with about $77 billion in the U.S.公众反对情绪已影响欧洲约420亿美元的数据中心投资，美国则约为770亿美元。
More than 70 data center projects in Europe were rejected or restricted between January and April, exceeding the total for all of 2025.欧洲在1月至4月期间有超过70个数据中心项目被拒绝或受限，超过2025年全年的数量。
Scotland paused planning approvals for new hyperscale data centers, while Denmark passed an emergency law that could put data centers at the back of the queue for grid power applications.苏格兰暂停了新建超大规模数据中心的规划审批；丹麦通过紧急法律，数据中心的电网供电申请可能被排在队列末端。
Spain proposed rules requiring data centers to source 80% of their electricity from renewable sources.西班牙提出规定，要求数据中心从可再生能源中获取80%的电力。
South Korea planned a system requiring consent from a majority of residents within 200 meters of proposed data center sites and introducing three stages for project review and dispute mediation.韩国计划建立相关制度，要求拟建数据中心地点200米范围内过半居民同意，并引入三阶段项目审查和争议调解机制。
Residents in Seoul's Geumcheon district had protested a nearby project for 172 days as of mid-August, according to local media.据当地媒体报道，截至8月中旬，首尔衿川区居民已连续172天抗议附近的数据中心项目。

The expansion of AI infrastructure is increasingly constrained not only by technology and capital, but also by local acceptance, energy availability and regulation.人工智能基础设施扩张面临的制约，正越来越多地来自地方认可度、能源供应和监管，而不仅是技术与资本。

023 Dimensions维度分析

Comparison对比

Investment exposure投资敞口

Public opposition has already affected substantial planned investment, with the reported impact in Europe amounting to more than half of the U.S. figure. Delays and cancellations create risks even before construction begins.公众反对情绪已经影响了大规模计划投资，欧洲受影响金额超过美国相应数额的一半。即使项目尚未开工，延迟和取消也会带来风险。

Affected European investment受影响的欧洲投资

Reported period报道所述期间42 billion USD

Public opposition affected about $42 billion in European data center investments and about $77 billion in the U.S.公众反对情绪影响了欧洲约420亿美元、美国约770亿美元的数据中心投资。
Operators may incur losses from spending before permits are secured, even when projects are later abandoned.即使项目后来被放弃，运营商也可能因在取得许可前已经投入资金而蒙受损失。

Consequence影响推演

Regulatory tightening监管趋严

Governments and local authorities are responding with planning pauses, grid-priority changes, renewable-power requirements and new community-consent procedures. These measures show how infrastructure policy is becoming more conditional as demand grows.政府和地方当局正通过暂停规划审批、调整电网接入优先级、设定可再生电力要求以及引入社区同意程序作出回应。随着需求增长，基础设施政策正变得更具条件性。

European projects rejected or restricted被拒绝或受限的欧洲项目

January-April1月至4月70 projects

Proposed rules拟议规定80 %

Scotland paused planning approvals for new hyperscale data centers.苏格兰暂停了新建超大规模数据中心的规划审批。
Denmark passed an emergency law that could place data centers at the back of the queue for grid power applications.丹麦通过紧急法律，数据中心的电网供电申请可能被排在队列末端。
South Korea planned a majority-resident consent requirement within 200 meters of proposed sites.韩国计划要求拟建地点200米范围内的过半居民同意。

Contradiction矛盾之处

Local costs and acceptance地方成本与社会接受度

Opposition is driven by concerns over water, power consumption, electricity prices, land use and safety, while communities and operators have limited agreement on permanent jobs and economic value. South Korea illustrates how national AI priorities can conflict with local resistance.反对情绪源于对用水、用电、电价、土地使用和安全的担忧，而社区与运营商对永久就业和经济价值也缺乏共识。韩国的情况显示，国家层面的人工智能发展目标可能与地方抵制发生冲突。

South Korea named AI data centers as one of three major investment projects, while local residents sought to halt a project near homes in Seoul's Geumcheon district.韩国将人工智能数据中心列为三大重点投资项目之一，但首尔衿川区居民要求停止住宅附近的数据中心项目。
A Gwacheon council member proposed an ordinance addressing risks to nearby residents, including potential fires involving backup batteries.果川市一名地方议员提出条例，旨在应对数据中心给附近居民带来的风险，包括备用电池可能引发的火灾。
Residents in the Geumcheon district had protested for 172 days as of mid-August, according to local media.据当地媒体报道，截至8月中旬，衿川区居民已抗议172天。

Key takeaway核心结论

AI data center growth is continuing, but projects increasingly depend on winning local approval and securing energy under tighter rules.人工智能数据中心仍在扩张，但项目越来越依赖于取得地方认可，并在更严格的规则下获得能源供应。

04What to Watch后续关注

Whether European planning restrictions and grid-access constraints expand to more markets.欧洲的规划限制和电网接入约束是否会扩大到更多市场。
How South Korea implements resident-consent rules and its three-stage review and mediation system.韩国将如何实施居民同意要求及三阶段审查和调解制度。
Whether renewable-power requirements, such as Spain's proposed 80% threshold, become a broader model for data center regulation.西班牙拟议的80%可再生电力门槛是否会成为更广泛的数据中心监管模式。
Whether operators can demonstrate clearer local economic benefits and manage concerns about water, power, land and safety.运营商能否更清楚地证明地方经济收益，并应对对用水、用电、土地和安全的担忧。

05Uncertainties不确定因素

The source does not establish how many permanent jobs data centers create or provide a standard for measuring their economic value per megawatt.消息未确定数据中心能够创造多少永久就业，也未提供衡量其每兆瓦经济价值的统一标准。
The source reports proposed, paused or potential restrictions, but does not indicate which measures will ultimately take effect.消息报道了拟议、暂停或可能实施的限制，但未说明哪些措施最终会生效。
The source does not quantify the water, electricity or land-use impact of individual projects.消息未量化单个项目对用水、用电或土地使用的具体影响。

06Sources信息来源

How U.S. data center backlash is spreading across Europe and AsiaHow U.S. data center backlash is spreading across Europe and Asia CNBC · 2026-10-03

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