How Are Data Centres Fuelling Europe’s Green Transition?

As of July 2023, the new EU Energy Efficiency Directive has been officially adopted by EU co-legislators, marking the culmination of a two-year legislative process. Central to this revision are targeted transparency provisions specifically addressing data centres. Owners and operators of data centres with an installed IT capacity of 500 kW2 will be mandated to share pertinent information regarding their energy performance from May 2024 onwards.

The legislation, officially signed on September 13, 2023, is set to be published in the Official Journal by the end of September. Anticipated in mid-October 2023, the European Commission (DG ENER) is poised to initiate a public consultation on a Delegated Act, a form of secondary legislation, outlining the relevant reporting metrics. The expeditious release of this Delegated Act is critical for both national jurisdictions and the data centre industry, given the impending first reporting cycle deadline of May 15, 2024.

Let’s hear from stakeholders from international and regional organisations, government, the private sector, academia, and civil society that gathered in Zaragoza, Spain to participate in a joint event organised by CISPE and EUDCA, supported by SPAIN DC, and co-sponsored by AWS.