The Firewalkers · Research

The evidence base
for the movement.

Original research papers on data centre demand, environmental impact, planning frameworks, and speculative overcapacity. Sourced, cited, freely downloadable. Built to be quoted.

1 Published paper
3+ In pipeline
Free All downloads
About this research

Credible evidence, freely available.

The Firewalkers produces original research briefs on the data centre industry — its environmental record, planning behaviour, financial dynamics, and the gap between promoted demand and independent analysis.

Every paper cites its sources. Every figure is traceable. Every conclusion is bounded by what the evidence actually supports. We do not overstate. We do not campaign with numbers we cannot defend.

All papers are published under open licence and are free to download, share, quote, and cite — in planning objections, media coverage, academic work, and community campaigns. That is the point.

Research methodology

  • All source material is publicly available and cited in full
  • Claims are bounded by what sources actually demonstrate — not extrapolated beyond the evidence
  • Where figures conflict across sources, the conflict is stated and the most conservative interpretation used
  • AI is used to synthesise and structure research — not to generate claims or invent data
  • Each paper is reviewed for factual accuracy before publication
  • Corrections policy: errors identified after publication are corrected and noted in a revision log
Published research

Available now.

Data centre server infrastructure
Research Paper · No. 01 FW-RP-2026-01 · June 2026 · 13 pages

Data Centre Demand and Speculative Overcapacity

The strongest evidence of overcapacity is not in global delivered stock — it is in the gap between queueing and credible need in specific power markets, especially Great Britain. This paper examines the measured baseline, credible independent demand forecasts, and the ratio of announced pipeline to real need.

Infrastructure Grid & Power GB & Ireland Global Context
3–5× Queue vs need (GB)
11 Primary sources
13 pp Length
Download PDF Read summary

Seivwright, S. (2026). Data Centre Demand and Speculative Overcapacity. The Firewalkers Research Paper No. 01 (FW-RP-2026-01). firewalkers.earth/research. Published June 2026.

In the pipeline
Research Paper · No. 02

Water Consumption and the Unaccounted Cost of AI Cooling

A systematic review of data centre water consumption across the UK, Ireland, and EU — and the planning frameworks that currently leave cumulative catchment impact unassessed.

Published June 2026 · Download PDF → · Press release →
Research Paper · No. 03

Who Pays for the Data Centre Boom — Affordability and the Distribution of Cost

Who actually carries the cost of the grid and water build the boom requires. The evidence shows it falls hardest on the poorest and most rural households — those least likely to benefit.

Published June 2026 · Download PDF → · Press release →
Research Paper · No. 04

AI Growth Zones — Who Decides When Data Centres Are Fast-Tracked

How "national infrastructure" status and planning reform speed approval for the largest data centres — and, by design, narrow the local voice. The trade-off between speed and consent, set out in plain terms.

Published June 2026 · Download PDF → · Press release →
Research Paper · No. 05

Community Resistance and Planning Outcomes: The Evidence

An analysis of data centre planning applications that were refused, withdrawn, or modified following community objection — what worked and what the evidence says about effective resistance.

In development · Expected Q4 2026
How we work

Using AI to produce research that generates news.

The Firewalkers uses AI to accelerate the production of rigorous, sourced research — not to replace the human judgement that decides what is true. Here is the workflow that produces each paper, and why it matters for a movement that needs to generate media coverage.

01

Source gathering

Primary sources are identified and collected — regulatory reports, grid operator publications, academic reviews, financial analyses. AI assists in locating and summarising sources. Every source is verified by a human before use.

02

Evidence synthesis

AI synthesises the source material into a structured evidence base, identifying conflicts between sources, noting limitations, and flagging where claims exceed what the data supports. The synthesis is reviewed and corrected before any paper is drafted.

03

Paper drafting

The paper is drafted from the verified evidence base. Tone is factual and measured — not campaigning language. Claims are bounded. Sources are cited in full. The draft is reviewed against the source material line by line.

04

Media packaging

Each paper generates a press release, a summary post for the Hearth, shareable stat graphics, and a thread structure for social media. The media packaging is produced from the paper — not from the sources independently.

05

Journalist brief

A journalist brief accompanies each paper — two pages summarising the five strongest findings, the best data points for graphics, suggested angles for different outlets, and contact details for Scott Seivwright for comment or interview.

06

Community tool

Key findings from each paper are translated into plain-language summaries suitable for planning objection letters and local campaign materials. The research feeds the Tools page directly.

From research to media coverage — the pipeline

01

Research paper

Sourced, cited, downloadable. The credible foundation everything else rests on.

02

Summary post

Plain-language write-up on the Hearth with the strongest data points highlighted.

03

Press release

Journalist-ready release with key findings, quotes from Scott, and the download link.

04

Media coverage

Journalists can cite a paper. Communities can use it in planning applications. The story has legs.

Press releases

For immediate use.

Press releases accompany each research paper. They are written for journalists, planning reporters, and environmental editors. Copy and use freely — attribution to The Firewalkers and a link to firewalkers.earth appreciated but not required.

June 11, 2026 · For immediate release

New research shows GB data centre queue running at 3–5 times independent need estimates

Analysis of Ofgem and NESO data reveals that 50 GW of data centre connection applications in Great Britain represent between 3.4 and 5.1 times the 9.9–14.6 GW that the National Energy System Operator's own scenarios identify as the credible long-run requirement to 2050.

The research, published by The Firewalkers, draws on regulatory filings, grid operator scenarios, and independent academic review to argue that a significant portion of the current build-out is speculative rather than demand-led — and that communities are being asked to make permanent sacrifices of land, water, and landscape for infrastructure that may never be built.

Download full paper
Expected Q3 2026

Press release: Water Consumption and AI Cooling

Press release to accompany Research Paper No. 02. Will cover cumulative water impact, regulatory gap, and at-risk catchment areas in Scotland, Wales, and south-east England.

Coming Q3 2026 — join the mailing list to receive on publication

Shape the pipeline

Suggest a research topic.

The research pipeline is shaped by what communities actually need. If there is a question — about your local situation, a planning argument you need evidence for, or a gap in the published data — tell us. The most useful suggestions shape what gets produced next.