Plain-English guides to the issues communities most often raise about data centres and AI infrastructure: energy and power bills, water, noise, heat, electromagnetic fields, traffic, local jobs and more. Free to read and share, they put the facts in context and support informed, transparent conversations.
A note on examples: this series was first developed for Tasmanian communities and some sheets use Tasmanian examples, agencies and planning references — sheet 20 in particular describes the Tasmanian approvals process. The technology explanations and the questions to ask apply anywhere in Australia. For your own state or territory’s planning and policy settings, see our State & Territory Frameworks. A fully national edition of this series is in preparation.
Start here
Understanding the technology
- 01 · Artificial intelligence (AI) explained
- 02 · GPUs explained
- 03 · Data centres explained
- 04 · AI factories explained
- 05 · Cooling systems
- 06 · Battery storage
- 07 · Transmission lines & grid connection
- 08 · Renewable energy
Data centres in your community
- 09 · Energy & your power bill
- 10 · Water use
- 11 · Noise
- 12 · Heat & the heat island
- 13 · Electromagnetic fields (EMF)
- 14 · Backup generators & air quality
- 15 · Traffic & construction
- 16 · Land use, siting & visual amenity
- 17 · Bushfire, flood & natural hazards
- 18 · Cyber & data security
- 19 · Sustainability & climate
- 20 · Planning approvals & your say
- 21 · Local jobs & community benefit
- 22 · in review – coming soon
- 23 · Property values & the local economy
- 24 · Decommissioning & end-of-life
- 25 · Questions to ask about a data centre
- 26 · Glossary
Part of the Community Information library. Every sheet is free to read and share. DII takes no position on individual projects.