Protests mounting ahead construction of massive hyperscale facility in Cape Town

[rustypup]

Those poor people will suffer greatly.

Based on what, exactly. As a regular visitor to Teraco JB1, there is zero noise over and above the traffic. Which has nothing to do with the DC.

huge high speed industrial extractors running 24/7

Ditto. JB1 is air-cooled, chilled using closed water loop. I invite you to visit and point out the noise being made by these extractors.

Then why are they struggling to pony up with some numbers even at this stage?

You still on about this manufactured drama?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Based on what, exactly. As a regular visitor to Teraco JB1, there is zero noise over and above the traffic. Which has nothing to do with the DC.


Ditto. JB1 is air-cooled, chilled using closed water loop. I invite you to visit and point out the noise being made by these extractors.


You still on about this manufactured drama?

Not really.... Its interesting that everyone but the developer/investor/equinix seems to be able to talk about their water usage, which I find interesting.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Not really.... Its interesting that everyone but the developer/investor/equinix seems to be able to talk about their water usage, which I find interesting.

They are probably gauging response to help decide which type of cooling they will use, if they see they can get away with large amounts of water usage they'll note it as its much cheaper to build and operate, if they can't they'll have to go for more mainstream closed loop air cooling, which is expensive, and less efficient from their point if view.

 

[ToxicBunny]

They are probably gauging response to help decide which type of cooling they will use, if they see they can get away with large amounts of water usage they'll note it as its much cheaper to build and operate, if they can't they'll have to go for more mainstream closed loop air cooling, which is expensive, and less efficient from their point if view.

Possibly yeah.

Just find it odd that in a city that has experienced as close to "Day Zero" as is possible that water use isn't an overriding deciding factor in even the most basic of planning approvals upfront for something like this.

 

[wingnut771]

Based on what, exactly. As a regular visitor to Teraco JB1, there is zero noise over and above the traffic. Which has nothing to do with the DC.


Ditto. JB1 is air-cooled, chilled using closed water loop. I invite you to visit and point out the noise being made by these extractors.


You still on about this manufactured drama?

 

[Rickster]

They don't need to "use" any water, the water can just be pumped straight through the DC, through their CPU radiators and back to the street.

 

[wingnut771]

They don't need to "use" any water, the water can just be pumped straight through the DC, through their CPU radiators and back to the street.

How do you pump water? Where does it come from and where does it go afterwards?

 

[Sargeant]

View attachment 1922593


To put into context, agriculture uses about 26% of the COCT water system during summer. Assuming the number is correct and assuming peak usage in summer, which is about 1100 ML/D, it will be roughly 1% of water. And considering that unlike all the parasites who get free water, this data centre will pay for it, pay for electricity, pay for rates, it is well worth the time for the COCT to allow the construction. The money COCT gets from projects like this can go to things like desalination (when it isn't being used to build low cost housing in sea point).

I can eat agricultural products, I can't eat data. I think it's common sense which one should get priority to water supplies!

 

[Rickster]

How do you pump water? Where does it come from and where does it go afterwards?

Municipal water, if it goes through all copper metal in the DC, should be safe to drink on the other end.

 

[wingnut771]

Municipal water, if it goes through all copper metal in the DC, should be safe to drink on the other end.

Water only flows from the reservoir under municipal pressure after you open the tap, it then goes down the drain back to the river/sea.

 

[konfab]

I can eat agricultural products, I can't eat data. I think it's common sense which one should get priority to water supplies!

As I said, I don't think it is much of an issue. Even at the numbers specified. Which are probably nonsense because they will likely use air cooling anyway because municipal supply isn't as reliable.

Also bear in mind that COCT loses 22-23% of water it gets via leaks. They don't have enough resources to fix all the leaks. Putting in a big client like a data centre that pays lots of rates, employs people (who pay more rates), buys electricity (profit centre for city), will put more money into the COCT to spend on infrastructure repairs.

You need to drop the poverty mindset.

 

[Nerfherder]

Looks like I overwrote my reply there. Wanted to post that the decision doesn't look dodgy to me.

What is dodgy is why are Foxglove gunning for this data centre in particular.

There is a *much* larger one in the plans - Cavaleros has a 360MW one planned for Cape Town.
Not a peep about that, only the King David one is being targeted.

Why...

There are a few reasons, mainly the spot where its happening.

This area was earmarked for housing and that was already controversial.

 

[Nerfherder]

As I said, I don't think it is much of an issue. Even at the numbers specified. Which are probably nonsense because they will likely use air cooling anyway because municipal supply isn't as reliable.

Also bear in mind that COCT loses 22-23% of water it gets via leaks. They don't have enough resources to fix all the leaks. Putting in a big client like a data centre that pays lots of rates, employs people (who pay more rates), buys electricity (profit centre for city), will put more money into the COCT to spend on infrastructure repairs.

You need to drop the poverty mindset.

Thats a poor way of looking at the problem.

Most of the issues in CT are around lack of resources (water, electricity, space) so its not logical that further pushing these resources will solve any of these problems.

You can't drink money in a drought.

 

[konfab]

Thats a poor way of looking at the problem.

Most of the issues in CT are around lack of resources (water, electricity, space) so its not logical that further pushing these resources will solve any of these problems.

You can't drink money in a drought.

It's called desalination.
And again. 22-23% losses from outdated infrastructure.

Besides which, it is a red herring considering it will be air-cooled.

In response to questions from Daily Maverick, Equinix said the new data centres in Cape Town would use dry, air‑based cooling systems.

“These systems require no water for data hall cooling. As a result, there is no material operational water consumption associated with the cooling of the data centre beyond limited domestic and ancillary uses.”

Regarding electricity, Equinix said power would be supplied via the City of Cape Town’s electricity distribution network, with upstream generation and bulk supply ultimately sourced from Eskom.

The place is right next to the airport, in an industrial area.

In their objection to the proposed rezoning of the King David/King Air Industria development, Foxglove and the Housing Assembly say: “This application asks the City to approve one of the largest and most resource-intensive developments in the northern suburbs on the basis of a 24-page motivational letter that says nothing about water, nothing about emissions, limited on electricity, nothing about diesel generators, nothing about air pollution, nothing about noise, and provides no plans for the buildings themselves.

These retards are bleating about emissions, air pollution and noise when the place is 900m away from an airport.

 

[Nerfherder]

It's called desalination.
And again. 22-23% losses from outdated infrastructure.

Besides which, it is a red herring considering it will be air-cooled.



The place is right next to the airport, in an industrial area.
View attachment 1924933




These retards are bleating about emissions, air pollution and noise when the place is 900m away from an airport.

I think you have your lines crossed.

King david Golf course is 11 km away from the airport:

 

[Nerfherder]

As I said, I don't think it is much of an issue. Even at the numbers specified. Which are probably nonsense because they will likely use air cooling anyway because municipal supply isn't as reliable.

Also bear in mind that COCT loses 22-23% of water it gets via leaks. They don't have enough resources to fix all the leaks. Putting in a big client like a data centre that pays lots of rates, employs people (who pay more rates), buys electricity (profit centre for city), will put more money into the COCT to spend on infrastructure repairs.

You need to drop the poverty mindset.

That link is dead BTW...

 

[konfab]

I think you have your lines crossed.

King david Golf course is 11 km away from the airport:

View attachment 1924942

No, I don't.

In a formal letter of objection sent to the City on 13 April, two civil society groups challenged a rezoning application lodged by the Planning Partners group over Equinix’s proposals to build two new data centres next to Cape Town International Airport, on a 122,545m³ site on the old King David Golf Club course.

New data centres set to swallow 34% of Cape Town’s current electricity supply

Four new major data centres are set to gobble up the equivalent of 34% of current electricity supply in Cape Town and unknown volumes of cooling water, raising questions about the sustainability of po…

www.dailymaverick.co.za

King Air Industria, formerly the King David Golf Course, is a 70 Hectare Industrial Park being developed close to Cape Town International Airport.

King Air Industria is a world-class industrial park in a secure, landscaped environment offering purpose-built warehousing and distribution buildings to satisfy the international demand for modern logistics buildings close to international airports.

King Air Industria is situated very close to Cape Town International Airport’s Freight terminal and it is also 15 Minutes from Table Bay Harbour making it ideal for Air, Sea and Road Freight.

• Excellent location
• Close proximity to Cape Town International Airport (3km)
• Close to the N2 (2.7km) and to the N1 (12km)
• Two access points into precinct
• Walking distance access to My City bus feeder routes
• Close to public transport routes and there are dedicated taxi layby areas
• 280 000 square metre rentable area for development

https://www.airportproperty.co.za/king-air-industria/

 

[Nerfherder]

I can eat agricultural products, I can't eat data. I think it's common sense which one should get priority to water supplies!

yes, can't eat AI slop either so as it goes agriculture is the better option.

 

[Nerfherder]

No, I don't.

New data centres set to swallow 34% of Cape Town’s current electricity supply

Four new major data centres are set to gobble up the equivalent of 34% of current electricity supply in Cape Town and unknown volumes of cooling water, raising questions about the sustainability of po…

www.dailymaverick.co.za

https://www.airportproperty.co.za/king-air-industria/

None of those things make sense. Which is probably why people are confused.

Either way - exact location is just one of the issues.

EDIT: I read the article again and they are talking about 3 seperate developments, one of which is the one mentioned in the thread.
I don't believe the one you are talking about is the one in the thread.

 

[wingnut771]

It's called desalination.
And again. 22-23% losses from outdated infrastructure.

Besides which, it is a red herring considering it will be air-cooled.



The place is right next to the airport, in an industrial area.
View attachment 1924933




These retards are bleating about emissions, air pollution and noise when the place is 900m away from an airport.

Have they seen all the squatter camps around the airport?