In case you haven’t heard, Facebook recently announced the development of its first data center in Prineville, Oregon, and instead of buying electricity from a clean source within the state, they’re going to mostly rely on coal electricity. Why?
“With the price of hydropower increasing in the Northwest, Facebook opted to bet on the incremental price increases associated with coal rather than face tier-two pricing from BPA.
Brian Oley, a data center site selection expert at the real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle, said it’s no secret that the Northwest’s hydropower is getting tapped out. Oley expects that when tier-two pricing kicks in, prices will increase from two cents per kWh to six or seven cents.”
As Treehugger notes, data centers such as the one Facebook is building are big energy hogs
“Data center power use of the last decade is astounding. In 2000, data centers comprised 0.8 percent of total US electrical consumption, but just 5 years later, data centers’ power consumption grew to 1.4 percent of the total energy use in the country, according to the Energy Information Administration.”
What’s interesting here is how Facebook is clearly aware that they’re making an unpopular decision. They touted the energy efficiency measures taken to minimize the environmental impact of the data center, and posted an official defense of their decision on Treehugger by touting the energy efficiency measures again.
They don’t seem to be addressing the head on issue of what KIND of power they’re using. Efficiency is good, coal is terrible on emissions of every kind which damage human health at every stage of the life-cycle and causes climate change. An energy efficient coal-powered building does NOT make for a green building. Sorry Facebook.
But I think they know that too. I’m hearing from multiple users they’ve started censoring Facebook groups which include the words “Facebook and coal”. This was the most recent comment on TreeHugger…
“Facebook has, without warning, deleted the FB-group “Tell Facebook to use clean energy in its data center.” The group existed for merely two days, was very popular and swiftly growing. At the moment of its deletion the group had about 700 members and there were over 3000 invitations to join the group, send out by its members, which were not yet responded upon. The number of group memberships was rising exponential. Also at the moment of deletion the groups creator was in the progress to join forces with a major environmental movement to mobilize the public and to let them show their dismay by becoming member of the group. Which would have boosted membership even more.
We regret the undemocratic tactics which Facebook has applied in this matter.”
They’re clearly afraid of this one getting around because they know what they’re doing as wrong. If you have a Facebook account, please join the group “Get Facebook Off Coal“, and sign this petition.
Lets get Facebook off coal.
Cross-posted from The Dernogalizer
This is hilarious. Facebook loves it. A group … ON Facebook, TELLING Facebook what they should be doing. And what will they do if Facebook ignores them? Go to My Space? Hilarious. This is almost as funny as the groups that always spring up when FB makes changes: “If FB changes, we’re gone!!”
Yeah, sure. You’re addicted, you ain’t goin’ nowhere.
Thanks for this update. As a young climate activist in Oregon seeking to transition my state away from reliance on dirty coal, I’m appalled that Facebook is would attempt to build a coal-powered data center here. Actually, and more importantly, I’m appalled Facebook would build a coal-powered data center ANYWHERE. As a company that caters mainly to people on the younger end of the age spectrum, Facebook should support the clean energy solutions which youth across the US and the world are pushing for. Facebook’s young customers will not let the company get away with this.
Right now Facebook is the dominant online socializing site on the web. However the company should remember how quickly this can change, if its customers become dissatisfied with its practices. Facebook itself usurped MySpace, and you can bet there’s another company waiting in the wings to displace Facebook if an opportunity arises. Mass dissatisfaction with Facebook’s reliance on coal could be just what a competitor company needs to take over.
Are the Facebook users concerned about the company’s coal investments a small minority with no power to really affect Facebook’s user base? I don’t think so. How do I know? Because I’ve been watching the Get Facebook Off Coal page this morning, and in less than an hour have seen the page membership grow by over 180 people. This is a strong and growing movement in the community of Facebook users.
If Facebook follows through with its plan to build a new coal-powered data center, I fully intend to leave Facebook. I would also let each and everyone of my Facebook friends know exactly why I was leaving. Probably I would find some other social media site less reliant on coal power, and invite my friends to join me there.
Facebook needs to get off of coal fast. Otherwise the company risks alienating its most loyal customers.
Geoff: Leaving FB is one tactic to pressure them, but you’re right that its probably not the most effective one. However, getting some media about how they are using coal is going to effect their company decisions, and that’s exactly what we plan to do. Do you want to pressure them to change or not?
I had also established a Facebook group ‘We want Facebook to use clean energy, not coal’ when I heard about the issue.
We’ve got almost 5,000 members. It would be great to coordinate these different campaigns so we can get the win as fast as possible.
It seems like Facebook has deleted the group ‘Tell Facebook to use clean energy for its data center’.
Yesterday I tried to join the group but FB would not let me. Today the groups does not exist!