EU proposes rating data centers on energy and water use
The European Commission has proposed a common scheme to rate the sustainability of data centers. It will allow comparisons of electricity and water efficiency and take into account data centers’ contribution to the energy system, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The new scheme will cover data centers with a capacity above 500 kW. It will provide information on resource consumption, waste heat reuse and the addition of clean energy generation capacity. It will also consider facilities’ ability to adjust electricity consumption to grid conditions.
“In a time when we need to be careful with our resources, sustainable, flexible and well-designed data centers that can adjust their electricity use to the grid's conditions can help lower the overall cost of the electricity system, improve grid stability, and integrate more renewable energy,” the European Commission said.
Under the regulation, data centers will receive electronic labels based on information operators submit to a European database. The first labels are due to be issued by August 15, 2027, and will be updated annually. Operators of smaller facilities and data centers that are not yet operational will be able to participate voluntarily.
The initiative comes as the sector’s electricity consumption rises rapidly. According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the regulation, EU data centers consumed 68 TWh of electricity in 2024. This could reach 114 TWh by 2030, accounting for 3.2% of the EU’s total electricity demand. The growth of artificial intelligence will be one of the main drivers.
The EU also aims to triple its data center capacity over the next five to seven years. The sector’s expansion puts increasing pressure on electricity grids and water resources and contributes to higher carbon emissions.
“Reusing around half of the total waste heat from data centers in Europe corresponds to the heating demand of four million households,” the Commission said.
Meanwhile, the Commission has launched a call for evidence and a public consultation on minimum performance standards for data centers.
The delegated regulation, adopted by the Commission on September 21, is subject to a two-month scrutiny period by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Following this process, it will enter into force on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Dutch company Switch Datacenters plans to build a data center at the Sappi industrial site in Lanaken, Belgium.