In the depths of the Liberal Government’s proposed statement of expectations for AI data centres is a statement, encouraging proponets to explore the use of “forestry waste” for their back-up energy supply.
Despite the industry and the government’s touting of AI data centres as a renewable energy powered ‘green’ infrastructure, this is a startling admission that they could run on Tasmania’s forests.
It comes after Forestry Tasmania announced last week it would seek tenderers to process and transport forest biomass across northern Tasmania. Is this to fuel what Premier Rockliff is calling a ‘green’ AI factory zone?
Evidence has long shown that when it comes to biomass in Tasmania, while some product can come from plantation residues, the plantation estate just isn’t large enough, and inevitably there will be more pressure on Tassie’s native forests to feed the boilers.
In a climate and biodiversity crisis, and with an enormous cloud over the efficiency and emmissions presumptions of big AI and data infrastructure, it’s totally unacceptable to even consider powering them with our forests.
Tasmania’s forests are the backbone of our net zero status and are the very environmental safeguards maintaining the ‘ideal cool climate’ the Liberals are selling off to AI and data infrastructure companies.
No matter how the Liberals and industry greenwash it, they’re not fooling Tasmanians that burning forests is renewable or appropriate.
The Liberals need to come clean about how they plan to power AI data centres. Will they rule out powering data centres with Tasmania’s native forests?
