澳大利亚气候与能源部长克里斯·鲍文宣布，将动员联邦政府的所有可用权力，包括立法手段，强制昆士兰州和北领地遵守数据中心可再生能源抵消计划。[1] 鲍文表示："我们将使用英联邦可用的所有权力，包括英联邦立法。"[1] 根据该政策，数据中心必须完全通过可再生能源投资来抵消其电力使用，并为电网升级承担费用，遵循"污染者付费"原则。[1]
据预计，到2050年，数据中心将使用国家电网电力的10%。[1] 联邦政府已正式要求澳大利亚能源市场委员会制定相关规则变更。[1]
该政策与部分州政府立场产生冲突。[1] 昆士兰州能源部长大卫·詹内茨基表示反对"将权力增加到堪培拉"的想法，[1] 而昆士兰州总理大卫·克里萨富利声称"只有一个州认为能源应该来自最佳位置，而不仅限于一个来源"。[1]
Australia's climate and energy minister Chris Bowen has announced plans to deploy federal authority to compel Queensland and the Northern Territory to comply with a renewable energy offset scheme for data centres [1]. Under the new policy, data centre operators must demonstrate that 100 percent of their electricity consumption is offset by renewable energy investments, and they must also cover the costs of grid upgrades required to support their operations [1].
Bowen stated that he would leverage all available Commonwealth powers, including federal legislation if necessary, to enforce the requirements [1]. The directive reflects a "polluter pays" principle and comes as data centres are projected to consume 10 percent of the national grid's electricity by 2050 [1]. The federal government has formally requested the Australian Energy Market Commission to draft the necessary rule changes [1].
The policy has sparked resistance from state leaders. Queensland energy minister David Jannettas opposed the concept of "increasing powers to Canberra," while Queensland Premier David Crisafulli claimed that "only one state believes energy should come from the best source, not restricted to one source" [1].