this post was submitted on 16 Aug 2026
151 points (99.3% liked)

Technology

87347 readers
266 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots


founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 

The American technology giant wanted to cool the new data center with water from the nearby river. The data center, which is almost complete, retains its air cooling system. The Walloon administration for Waterways had previously given a positive advice, after which the amended permit was granted. 

But after investigation, Desquesnes, the Minister for Spatial Planning, decided to refuse the permit as a precaution. According to him, the current drought in Wallonia and the consequences of climate change cause too much uncertainty. “I don't want to commit myself to a hydrological context that is changing dramatically”, he explained Le Soir.

The minister says he has insufficient certainty that the Walloon Region can continue to bear the requested water consumption in the coming years. “There is a risk that the responsibility of the Region, including financially, will be jeopardized.”

Google confirms that it analyzing the decision. The company can appeal the minister's decision to the Council of State.

top 9 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Damage@feddit.it 19 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Wallonia is a Belgian region

[–] Frostbeard@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Think the only thing Wallonia and Flandern agree upon is that they dont want to be France or the Netherlands. I only know people from Flandern so can't speak for Wallonians and their travels, but even I as a Norwegian has been more often to Wallonia than my Flemish friends.

[–] CareHare@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 days ago

I am from Flanders, your statement is pretty much spot on most of the time. I do love my country though, there should be more love between our two regions.

[–] Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Most wallonians I know rarely travel to Flanders because they don't speak Flemish and the people there refuse to speak ~~normal~~ french

[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Yes. Open loop water cooling should not be a thing right now. Figure out how to air cool or closed-loop please.

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Air cooling is not possible at modern data center scale (at least AI data centers, they have ridiculous power density), closed loop cooling very much is, but it takes more power so it's cheaper to just evaporate a ton of air unfortunately.

Going to need bills like this everywhere, or water prices raised significantly for non-home usage.

[–] kokesh@lemmy.world 19 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Well done! Let's turn the water down for all those fuckers.

[–] Gerblat@lemmy.world 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

They don’t get no water, let the motherfuckers burn.

Burn, motherfuckers. Burn

[–] kokesh@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago