Data Digits
Sometimes a single number tells the whole story – or at least a pretty interesting one. In cooperation with DataCenter-Insider, we highlight standout figures from the world of data centers.
07/05/2026
Data center electricity consumption reaches new heights
This estimate represents a threefold increase compared to 2010. Generating this amount of electricity would require roughly ten medium-sized nuclear power plants.
Looking ahead, power demand is expected to rise even further: by 2030, electricity consumption could exceed 500 billion kWh as AI-driven data center expansion continues. At that level, data centers would account for more than 10% of total U.S. electricity consumption.
More:
2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report
ESCA Back Pocket Insights
02/04/26
Bavaria is Germany’s leading AI hub
Bavaria plays a central role in Germany’s data center market – and is even leading when it comes to AI capacity. The region benefits from a strong technology-driven economy, a diverse industrial base, and a highly developed research and science landscape. With nearly one-fifth of Germany’s AI computing capacity located in Bavaria, the state is positioning itself as a key hub for data-intensive and high-performance applications.
More:
Study: Rechenzentren in Bayern 2025 – aktuelle Marktentwicklungen.
05/03/2026
AI and cloud drive demand for servers
2025 marked a record year for the global server market. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), revenues increased by 80%. For comparison, throughout the 2010s, average annual market growth remained in the single-digit percentage range. This exceptional surge was driven by significantly higher demand for high-performance hardware, particularly for cloud services and increasingly for AI-based applications.
More:
IDC: Servers Market Insights
26/02/26
Billions invested in digital infrastructure
A total of €176 billion could flow into European colocation data centers from 2026 to 2031, according to the “State of European Data Centres 2026” report published by the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA).
Growth continues to be driven primarily by hyperscale cloud providers launching new cloud regions and expanding sovereign cloud zones. According to the association, this expansion is expected to accelerate significantly as a result of AI solutions with higher performance intensity.
More:
EUDCA Report
19/02/2026
Hyperscalers increase data center capacities at record speed
Hyperscale providers currently operate nearly 1,300 large data centers worldwide. Since 2018, this number has tripled. As individual facilities have grown significantly in size, total installed capacity has even quadrupled over the same period. According to recent analysis by the Synergy Research Group, market concentration also remains high: the three leading providers – Amazon, Microsoft, and Google – together account for 58% of global hyperscale data center capacity.
More:
Synergy Research Group
11/02/26
72 large-scale projects for new data centers are currently on the books in Germany
According to a recent analysis by Borderstep Institute and Grass Consulting, the expansion of Germany’s data center landscape is being driven primarily by large-scale developments. The 72 currently known major data center projects alone account for a combined planned capacity of around 5,500 megawatts.
More:
Datacenter Insider
05/02/2026
Germany’s colocation capacities are growing significantly
An analysis by the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) indicates that Germany’s data center market will continue to develop very dynamically in the coming years. Colocation capacities in particular are expected to grow by around 15% annually, further reinforcing Germany’s leading position within Europe.
More:
Report: State of European Data Centres 2025
29/01/26
Will small edge data centers bring about a turning point?
So far, growth in the data center sector has been driven almost exclusively by the expansion of ever-larger facilities. By contrast, the capacity of small IT installations has remained largely unchanged for years and currently accounts for around 27% of total data center capacity in Germany. This raises an important question: could the long-anticipated boom in edge data centers finally mark a turning point?.
More:
Study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
22/01/26
AI applications drive data center growth
The rapid rise of AI applications is significantly accelerating data center growth. For now, most investments are still concentrated in the United States and China. This is expected to change. With flagship projects such as JUPITER and the planned AI gigafactory, Germany aims to catch up. As a result, up to 2,000 megawatts of AI and HPC capacity could be installed in German data centers by 2030.
More:
Study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
15/01/26
Data center growth focuses on colocation space
The colocation model is becoming increasingly important in Germany. Today, 50% of all national data center capacity falls into this segment. The strongest momentum comes from hyperscale cloud customers, but government agencies and enterprises are also increasingly relying on rented data center space to house their IT systems.
More:
Study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
08/01/2026
Germany’s data center capacities could triple
Germany’s data center market is experiencing unprecedented momentum. New projects are being announced almost weekly — many with an energy demand comparable to that of a big city. How quickly these facilities will be built remains uncertain, but the scale is enormous: taken together, the planned projects amount to 5,500 megawatts of capacity, equivalent to the output of four nuclear power plants.
More:
Study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
18/12/25
Frankfurt Rhine/Main remains Germany’s most important data center location
With 1,100 megawatts of installed IT capacity, Hesse — driven by the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region — currently leads Germany by a clear margin. And this position is set to be strengthened: more than 2,300 megawatts of additional data center capacity are currently planned in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main area.
More:
Study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
11/12/2025
High demand for data center capacity
Frankfurt–Rhein/Main records the lowest vacancy rate among all major data center markets in Europe: just 3%. It remains an open question whether this reflects the region’s exceptional attractiveness—or simply the fact that new capacity isn’t being built fast enough to meet demand.
More:
European Data Centres Figures Q2 2025
4/12/25
Cloud computing is driving the growth of data centers in Germany
Cloud capacity is playing a major role in this growth: Over the past year, cloud installations in Germany increased by 17%, reaching 1,450 megawatts. This surge is driven primarily by multi-billion-euro investments from international tech giants – but national mid-sized cloud providers are also expanding significantly.
More:
Global Data Center Trends 2025
27/11/2025
AI fuels data center growth
Driven by accelerating AI adoption, the leading U.S. hubs — Northern Virginia, Chicago, Atlanta and Phoenix — recorded an average year-over-year capacity increase of 43% in the first quarter of 2025 (Source CBRE). Northern Virginia expanded its position as the world’s largest data center market, while Atlanta tripled its capacity and moved into second place.
More:
Global Data Center Trends 2025
20/11/25
Energy demand of data centers continues to rise
Despite continuous improvements in efficiency, the booming data center market is driving a further increase in the sector’s energy demand. In 2025, German data centers are expected to consume 21.3 billion kWh of electricity – more than all hydropower plants in the country produce combined.
More:
Study:Rechenzentren in Deutschland
13/11/2025
Record levels of investment
Record-breaking sums are flowing into the country’s digital infrastructure: €12 billion for IT hardware and €3.3 billion for buildings and technical systems. And the momentum continues — with major new investments announced by Google and strong growth among national and regional data center and cloud providers.
More:
Study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
06/11/25
Germany’s heating networks are still too hot
The usability of waste heat from data centers depends heavily on the temperature of existing heating networks. While modern networks already operate at 70 °C or lower, more than three-quarters of Germany’s district heating systems were still running at 90 °C or higher in 2022, according to the German District Heating Association (AGFW).
More:
DC2HEAT
30/10/2025
The end of Moore’s Law?
Measured in computing performance (GigaFLOPs) per watt, this remarkable progress reflects years of technological optimization. But many experts believe we’re approaching physical limits: future efficiency gains are expected to slow as miniaturization reaches its boundaries.
More:
Study: Energy Efficiency of Servers
23/10/25
High demands on the reliability of data centres
To minimize the risk of downtime, data centers rely on redundant infrastructure systems – particularly for cooling and power supply. The N+1 redundancy model ensures that for every critical component, one additional backup unit is available. This allows operations to continue smoothly, even during maintenance or in the event of a failure.
More:
Bitkom study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
16/10/2025
Decentralisation as a pillar of a sovereign and resilient digital infrastructure
These smaller IT locations – each with an installed IT capacity of less than 100 kW – are an essential part of a sovereign and resilient digital infrastructure. Operated by companies and public institutions across the country, they strengthen digital independence and local reliability within Germany’s IT landscape.
More:
Bitkom study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
09/10/2025
EU wants to massively accelerate the growth of data centres
The EU aims to catch up in the global AI race and establish Europe as a leading AI continent. To achieve this, the expansion of AI data and computing infrastructure is set to be massively accelerated. But this ambitious goal comes with significant challenges: limited grid connection capacity, lengthy approval and construction processes, and supply bottlenecks for critical equipment and systems could all slow progress.
More:
EU Commission
02/10/2025
Independent of the power grid
In the US, experts estimate that by 2030, more than a quarter of data centers could run independently of the public grid. Early projects in Germany point in the same direction. But is this good news for the climate? That depends on how the power is produced. Many current concepts rely on natural gas – which weighs heavily on the carbon footprint. Looking ahead, the U.S. is even considering Small Modular Reactors (SMR). While these may offer a better climate balance, they raise new challenges around safety, costs, and long-term sustainability.
More:
Bloomenergy
25/09/2025
Concrete drives up CO₂ emissions in data centres
Large data center projects contribute to climate change not only during operation but also through the construction of the buildings themselves. Concrete, in particular, has a significant climate impact: cement production accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. There are ways to reduce this footprint, including the development of low-carbon concrete or the use of wood as a sustainable building material.
More:
WWF: Klimaschutz in der Beton- und Zementindustrie
18/09/2025
Mega data centers in the age of AI
Generative AI comes with enormous performance demands, and this is driving the construction of ever-larger data centers. Colossus is a prime example: with up to one million GPUs, it could reach an IT load of around 1 gigawatt. To put this in perspective: in 2024, the combined maximum IT load of all data centers in Germany was under 3 gigawatts.
More:
Data Center Insider
11/09/2025
Digitisation is driving up demand for hardware
The exact numbers vary by source, but the trend is clear: The number of servers keeps growing year after year. At the same time, their performance is skyrocketing – driven by the increasing use of powerful GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). The result? A massive surge in energy and resource demands across the global data center industry..
More:
Paper: Server stock data
04/09/2025
Balancing act between cooling and energy efficiency
Why so much? Many facilities use evaporative cooling to reduce energy consumption. While this method improves efficiency, it significantly increases water usage. On average, EU data centers consume 0.58 liters of water per kilowatt-hour of electricity, according to mandatory reporting data.
More:
Facts & Figures: Data Centers in the EU
28/08/2025
Digital infrastructure creates jobs
Digital infrastructure doesn’t just power our online world – it also drives employment. While the construction of hyperscale data centers often impacts national and global labor markets, it’s the small and mid-sized data center operators that play a key role in supporting regional economies.
More:
Bitkom study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
21/08/2025
Frankfurt/Rhine-Main further expands its position
Data centers tend to cluster – a phenomenon known as Data Gravity. In Germany, this is especially evident in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main area, which has firmly established itself as the country’s top location for digital infrastructure. The capital region of Berlin/Brandenburg is a distant second among the most important locations for digital infrastructure.
More:
Bitkom study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
14/08/2025
Computing power grows significantly
Multi-core technology has fundamentally transformed computing over the past two decades. Since server CPUs moved beyond a single core in 2005, performance and efficiency in data centers have taken a huge leap forward. Today, server processors can feature 128 cores or more – and across Germany’s data centers, more than 160 million CPU cores are in operation. That’s massive computing power – and a sign of how fast digital infrastructure is evolving.
More:
Bitkom study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
07/08/2025
Protracted implementation of data centre projects
The industry is under pressure: extended permitting and construction phases are slowing down the expansion of digital infrastructure. In many cases, projects take even longer than the estimated 3.5 years. A look across the Atlantic highlights the contrast: In the U.S., Elon Musk’s Colossus data center – with an IT load of around 100 megawatts – was reportedly built in just 122 days. An extreme case, no doubt, but it shows what’s possible.
More:
Heise Online
31/07/2025
Can Europe keep up in the global AI and infrastructure race?
The scale is staggering: in just one year, the four U.S. tech giants are expected to pour more than $320 billion into artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure.
By comparison, the European AI Champions Initiative announced a total investment of €150 billion over five years at the AI Summit in February 2025. The growing gap raises a pressing question: Can Europe keep up in the global AI and infrastructure race?
More: The Economic Times
24/7/2025
Data centre market continues to boom
Driven by the rapid rise of AI applications, cloud computing, and increasing digitalization across all sectors, the demand for IT infrastructure is growing fast. According to recent projections, the total installed IT load in German data centers will reach around 4,850 megawatts by 2030 – more than twice the level of 2022.
More:
Bitkom study: Rechenzentren in Deutschland
18/07/2025
This is how data centers can support the energy transition
These emergency systems, typically used only in outages, hold enormous untapped potential. If integrated intelligently, backup diesel generators, battery systems, and even new technologies like fuel cells could help stabilize the power grid – especially as renewables increase variability in energy supply. By providing reserve capacity and balancing services, data centers could play an active role in the energy transition – not just as energy consumers, but as part of the solution.
More: BMWK Study: Stand und Entwicklung des Rechenzentrumsstandorts Deutschland
11/07/2025
German data centres set standards in energy efficiency
That means: for every unit of power used by IT equipment, an additional 46% is consumed for cooling, backup power, and other facility infrastructure. A lower PUE indicates higher efficiency – and in this case, Germany is ahead of the curve. By comparison, the global average PUE in 2024 was 1.56, according to research from the Uptime Institute – giving Germany a measurable lead in energy-efficient data center operation.
More:Bitkom Study
04/07/2025
Heat from the cloud: climate-friendly heating
In Germany, the use of waste heat from data centers is becoming increasingly important. The potential for the heat transition is considerable – even if there are still challenges, such as connecting to suitable heating networks. The DC2HEAT research project estimates that up to 300,000 homes could be heated with data center waste heat by 2035. This would correspond to an annual saving of around 650,000 tons of greenhouse gases.
More: DC2HEAT
27/06/2025
More computing power for AI: data centres in transition
While Germany plays a strong role in scientific computing, dedicated AI infrastructure is still emerging. This 15% shows where we stand – and how much room there is for growth as AI becomes a central driver of digital infrastructure. By comparison, AI systems in the U.S. already account for ~50% of total capacity – a clear sign of where the journey is heading.
More:
Data centre study of the Berkeley Lab
Bitkom study: Data centres in Germany
Borderstep Expertise
The Borderstep Institute has been calculating the electricity consumption of data centres since 2007
We made the calculations with the help of a comprehensive structural model of the data centre landscape in Germany and Europe. The Borderstep Institute developed it and continues to update it regularly since 2012.
The model describes the data centres in different size classes in terms of their equipment with different server types, storage systems and network infrastructures.
A distinction is also made between cloud, edge and traditional data centres. The age structure of the servers and the power consumption of the various server types in different operating states are also taken into account. Building technology such as air conditioning, power supply, UPS, etc. is also modelled.
More about the Borderstep Institute’s research
- Please click here for an overview of all ongoing projects in the field of Digitisation & Green IT
- Here you will find all publications in the field of Digitisation & Green IT
- Here you will find more about our research topic Digitisation & Green IT
Green Startup Report 2026 now available in English
The Borderstep Institute has now published the Green Startup Report 2026 in English. The latest research findings on the development of the green start-up ecosystem in Germany are therefore now available to an international audience.
Growth Amid Declining Start-up Dynamics
The report analyzes the dynamics of sustainable business creation and shows that the green start-up community continues to grow, now comprising around 4,700 companies. At the same time, current data indicates a decline in start-up activity – despite strong technological innovation and the significant climate protection potential of these ventures.
The Green Startup Report is based on a long-term scientific observation of green entrepreneurship in Germany, conducted since 2013. It provides a key data foundation for policymakers, businesses, and academia to foster sustainable innovation and advance the transition towards a climate-neutral economy.
Strengthening International Visibility and Policy Relevance
With the English edition, the international visibility of the findings is further strengthened, and the exchange on green start-up ecosystems is encouraged.
The Green Startup Report 2026 is now available for free download.
You can find more information about the English edition of the GSR 2026 here.
Outlook: Green Startup Report 2027
The next Green Startup Report 2027 is already in preparation and will once again be published with the support of Borderstep’s partner network.
Together, we aim to further strengthen the role of green start-ups as drivers of ecological transformation in political decision-making processes and, in doing so, continue to develop suitable framework conditions for sustainable business models.
Borderstep develops sustainability label for data centres in the EU – Commission launches call for feedback
As part of the EUDCEAR project, the Borderstep Institute, together with its partners EY and AIT, has developed the first EU-wide sustainability label for data centers. Based on data from Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) Reporting and a comprehensive stakeholder dialog, an innovative rating system was created that takes local contexts across Europe into account.
First EU sustainability label for data centers
Until now, there has been no label that comprehensively assesses the sustainability of data centers in the EU. Sustainability cannot be captured solely by simply calculating indicators such as PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness), WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness), ERF (Energy Reuse Factor) or REF (Renewable Energy Factor). Rather, regional differences, such as the availability of green electricity or the sustainability of water use, must be taken into account.
For this reason, Borderstep has developed a multidimensional label that holistically evaluates various aspects of sustainability. This label was revised several times during the project based on stakeholder feedback and was published in the second EUDCEAR report, Assessment of next steps to promote the energy performance and sustainability of data centres in EU, including the establishment of an EU-wide rating scheme.
EU Commission launches consultation on sustainability label
The European Commission has now updated and simplified the label and launched a public consultation on the matter. Interested parties can submit feedback until April 23, 2026: EU Consultation on the Rating System for Data Centers
Next Steps: Minimum Requirements for Data Centers
Building on the findings of EUDCEAR, minimum standards for data center sustainability are currently being developed. The study is led by Viegand Maagøe, while Borderstep is taking the lead on technical issues and proposals for future minimum standards.
Borderstep: 20 years of expertise in digitisation and sustainability
The Borderstep Institute has nearly 20 years of research experience in the fields of digitisation and sustainability. This makes it one of the world’s most renowned research institutions specializing in the sustainability of data centers and artificial intelligence.
Since 2007, the Borderstep Institute has been analyzing the electricity consumption of data centers in Germany and Europe. Its analysis is based on a proprietary structural model that has been regularly updated since 2010. The model takes into account server types, age structures, and building systems such as cooling and power supply. In this way, Borderstep provides reliable figures and scenarios regarding the development of digital infrastructures and their sustainability.
Through projects such as TEMPRO, DC2HEAT, DCESS, EUDCEAR and Data Centre Minimum Performance Standards – EU , the institute is developing solutions for climate-friendly and energy-efficient digitalization.
Borderstep expert Dr. Ralph Hintemann on CNN: Data centers and their impact on the local climate
The growing number of data centers, particularly those dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), not only consume large amounts of energy but also have a direct impact on the local climate. A recent study by the University of Cambridge shows that these centers can create “heat islands” and raise land surface temperatures by up to 9 degrees Celsius. The findings were recently picked up and discussed by CNN. Dr. Ralph Hintemann and Simon Hinterholzer from the Borderstep Institute were asked by CNN, as international experts on data centers, to assess the results.
Study: Data Centers as Local Heat Sources
The study analyzed temperature data from the past 20 years and compared it with the locations of large data centers. The result: After a data center went online, the land surface temperature rose by an average of 2 degrees Celsius. And in extreme cases by as much as 9 degrees Celsius. This affects not only the immediate surroundings but also areas within a radius of up to 10 kilometers.
Dr. Hintemann: “Emissions from electricity generation remain the bigger problem”
Speaking on CNN, Dr. Hintemann emphasized that the study provided “interesting figures,” but that the reported effects seemed “very high.” He pointed out that CO₂ emissions resulting from electricity generation for data centers continue to pose the greater challenge for climate protection.
The study shows that we must not ignore the local impacts of data centers. At the same time, we must continue to focus on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions generated by these facilities’ energy consumption. – Dr. Ralph Hintemann
Call for Sustainable Solutions
Against the backdrop of the rapid growth of the AI industry, the study underscores the urgency of developing sustainable solutions for data center operations. Dr. Ralph Hintemann and Simon Hinterholzer argue that the discussion regarding the environmental impact of data centers must be approached holistically.
It’s not just about local heat-related effects, but also about the global climate balance. We need innovative approaches to reduce energy demand and make greater use of renewable energy. – Simon Hinterholzer
Borderstep Institute: Research for Sustainable Digitisation
The Borderstep Institute has been conducting research for years on the environmental and social impacts of digitisation. The inclusion of Dr. Ralph Hintemann and Simon Hinterholzer in the CNN report underscores the international relevance of the institute’s work.
You can read the CNN article Scientists have found an alarming environmental impact of vast data centers here.
Click here to access the Cambridge University study The data heat island effect: quantifying the impact of AI data centers in a warming world.
Call for Papers: EURAM 2026
EURAM 2026 | 16–19 June 2026 | University of Agder, Kristiansand (Norway)
As part of the European Academy of Management (EURAM) Conference 2026, the Special Interest Group “Innovation” (SIG 06) invites submissions for the track “Innovation for Sustainability, Circularity and Green-tech.”
Under the conference theme “Navigating High Waters – Managing in an Age of Disruption”, this track addresses how companies can turn ecological and societal challenges into opportunities for sustainable innovation.
The emphasis is on research exploring sustainability-oriented innovation processes, circular business models, green technologies and product-service systems that contribute to the sustainable transformation of economy and society.
The track is led by an international research team, including Prof. Dr. Klaus Fichter (Borderstep Institut), Prof. Dr. Erik G. Hansen (Johannes Kepler University Linz & Leuphana University Lüneburg), Prof. Dr. Frank Tietze (University of Cambridge) and other partner institutions.
Thematic areas (selection)
- Sustainability-oriented innovation and entrepreneurship
- Circular innovation & green-tech
- Sustainable business models and ecosystems
- Digitisation, IoT and smart products as enablers for sustainability
- Transitions to sustainable product-service systems
- Diffusion, scaling and IP-strategies in the context of SOI (sustainability-oriented innovation)
Submission of papers until 7 January 2026
Submissions can be made until 7 January 2026, 14:00 Belgian time, via the EURAM conference platform. Please refer to the authors’ guidelines.
All information on the Call for Papers can be found here.
About EURAM
The European Academy of Management is a scholarly society founded in 2001. Its goal is to advance the academic discipline of management in Europe. With members from 60 countries, EURAM is highly diverse and offers its members the opportunity to enrich debates on a wide range of topics and traditions in management research.
About the conference theme “Navigating High Waters”
The theme of EURAM 2026, “Navigating High Waters,” reflects the current environment for organizations and management. A world characterized by high uncertainty, complex interconnections, and disruptive change.
- Companies are no longer confronted with just “classic” management tasks, but with profound upheavals: geopolitical risks, rapid technological advances, demographic shifts, and increasing regulatory density.
- In these “stormy seas,” management needs new skills: agility, resilience, innovation, and a holistic understanding across all functions and organizational levels.
- The term “high waters” symbolizes phases in which familiar management paradigms are no longer sufficient. Instead, broad perspectives are required: strategy, marketing, supply chains, human resources, and more.
Green Startup Report 2025 now available in English
The English edition of the Green Startup Report 2025 by the Borderstep Institute is now available. It provides international readers with access to the latest data and insights on the development of green start-ups in Germany.
The study is based on a comprehensive empirical analysis: more than 12,000 young companies were examined, along with over 50,000 commercial register entries related to investment activity.
Sustainability continues to gain importance
The Green Startup Report 2025 highlights key trends and findings:
- One in five start-ups in Germany now has a clear focus on sustainability, environmental protection, or climate action.
- The average climate protection potential of a so-called transformation-oriented green start-up amounts to around 30,000 tons of CO₂e per year, representing an economic value of about €2.4 million annually per start-up.
- Women hold 22 % of leadership positions in green start-ups, compared to 17 % in non-green start-ups.
- Already 73 % of fund managers consider climate aspects in their investment decisions.
With this English edition, the report offers a robust data foundation for international research, collaboration, and investment in sustainable entrepreneurship.
Outlook: Green Startup Report 2026
The next edition of the Green Startup Report is about to cime forward. It will be published in spring 2026 and will once again provide updated data and new insights into the dynamic growth of green entrepreneurship in Germany.
New report for the EU Commission: Steps towards greater sustainability in EU data centres
Borderstep, together with EY und AIT, has published a recent report on behalf of the EU Commission. This identifies concrete approaches to increasing the energy efficiency and sustainability of data centres in Europe.
The report Assessment of next steps to promote the energy performance and sustainability of data centres in EU, including the establishment of an EU-wide rating scheme analyses the current status, identifies areas for action and proposes an EU-wide rating scheme and minimum standards to make progress measurable.
The report covers several key areas of action:
- EU-wide rating scheme. Proposal for a standardised label that evaluates ecological criteria such as energy and water consumption, share of renewable energies, waste heat utilisation and hardware circularity.
- Minimum standards (MPS). Definition of key figures such as PUE, WUE and REF, based on data from over 700 data centres, to promote efficiency and resource conservation.
- Strategy for a climate-neutral data centre sector in 2030. Analysis of the feasibility of net-zero approaches and recommendations for transition strategies.
Promotion of innovations. Recommendations for technical optimisations, such as more efficient cooling systems, energy-saving hardware and better use of waste heat, in order to sustainably improve environmental and energy performance. - Transparency and reporting obligations. Introduction of standardised key figures to measure energy consumption, resource use and environmental performance in order to make progress comprehensible and support regulatory measures.
For Borderstep, the report is a further building block in its many years of research into energy-efficient data centres and sustainable digital infrastructures, providing practical recommendations for both policymakers and data centre operators.
The report is available to download free of charge: Assessment of next steps to promote the energy performance and sustainability of data centres in EU
The report was produced as part of the project European Union Data Centre Energy Efficiency Assessment and Reporting Scheme (EUDCEAR). The question of the project is how data centres in the European Union can be made more energy efficient and sustainable.
The Generaldirektion Energie (GD ENER) of the EU Commission commissioned the study with the aim of improving the assessment of the energy efficiency of data centres. At the same time, additional measures are to be developed to support the establishment of an EU-wide evaluation system for the sustainability of data centres.
Objectives of the study:
- To map and assess the sustainability of data centres in the EU
- To analyse existing reporting standards on the environmental impact of data centres
- To develop measures to increase energy efficiency and promote renewable energy
- To investigate the feasibility of a “net zero” data centre sector
- To provide recommendations for EU policy action
The first report published as part of the project is also available to download free of charge. Assessment of the energy performance and sustainability of data centres in EU: First technical report.
US delegation meets Borderstep data centre experts
From 22 to 26 September, a US delegation from the state of Virginia will be visiting Berlin and Frankfurt. Virginia is one of the world’s largest data centre locations – right next to Washington, D.C. The strong growth of this industry is accompanied by enormous challenges in terms of energy requirements and the sustainable design of the infrastructure.
Exchange with experts from the data centre industry
The tour group is made up of representatives from industry, government organisations and research institutions. The visit will focus on an exchange with experts from the German data centre industry on key sustainability issues such as energy supply, waste heat utilisation and resource efficiency.
The Borderstep Institute will also contribute its many years of expertise to the dialogue. Employees of the institute will give presentations on the current situation of German data centres and on ways to reconcile energy efficiency and climate neutrality with digitalisation.
Borderstep expertise
The Borderstep Institute has been researching the power consumption of data centre since 2007. This is based on a structural model of the data centre landscape in Germany and Europe developed at the institute, which has been regularly updated since 2012.
The model describes data centres of different sizes, their equipment with server types, storage systems and network technology as well as their building technology (air conditioning, power supply, UPS). It also takes into account differences between cloud, edge and traditional data centres as well as the age structure and energy consumption of the servers used.
Borderstep thus makes an important contribution to scientific analysis and the development of solutions for an energy-efficient and climate-friendly data centre infrastructure.
An overview of current Borderstep research projects in the field of digitalisation and green IT can be found here.
Data centres in the EU – Facts & Figures
A comprehensive assessment of the energy efficiency and sustainability of data centres in the EU based on measured values was carried out for the first time. This was based on data submitted by data centres to the EU as part of a reporting obligation.
A consortium consisting of the Borderstep Institute, EY and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) analysed the information submitted and assessed the current status of data centres in the EU based on sustainability and performance indicators.
The report “European Commission: Directorate-General for Energy, AIT, Borderstep and EY, Assessment of the Energy Performance and Sustainability of Data Centres in the EU – First Technical Report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025” is available to download free of charge.
European Green Deal & Energy Efficiency Directive
With the European Green Deal, the EU is pursuing the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
To achieve this, it aims to:
-
drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
-
promote sustainable business practices, and
-
actively protect the environment, resources, and biodiversity.
Energy efficiency contributes to reducing overall energy consumption. It is therefore of central importance for the realisation of the EU’s climate protection goals.
The Energy Efficiency Directive defines the targets and measures for data centres. These measures ensure that digitalisation and sustainability go hand in hand:
- Climate neutrality by 2030: Operators should run data centres in the EU in a climate-neutral manner by 2030 at the latest.
- Increase energy efficiency: The aim is to significantly reduce the energy consumption of data centres, e.g. through more efficient cooling, better hardware and optimised management.
- Utilise renewable energies: Renewable energy sources cover the electricity requirements of data centres wherever possible.
- Promote waste heat utilisation: Operators use the waste heat generated during operation sensibly, for example to heat buildings.
- Transparency and monitoring: Operators should regularly report on the energy consumption and environmental impact of their data centres.
Key figures on the sustainability of data centres
For the first time, researchers have now systematically collected data from EU data centres. They use recognized industry key performance indicators (KPIs) to draw well-founded conclusions about the sustainability of data centres based on these surveys. These enable a comparable and objective assessment of key aspects such as energy efficiency, resource utilisation and environmental impact.
PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness): How efficiently does a data centre use energy?
The PUE key figure indicates the additional energy required by the data centre infrastructure. It is therefore the key indicator for evaluating the energy efficiency of data centre infrastructure and the building.
The PUE figure indicates the additional energy required by the data centre infrastructure. It is therefore the key indicator for evaluating the energy efficiency of data centre infrastructure and the building.
A PUE of 1.5 means that for every kilowatt hour (kWh) used for servers, storage and network devices, an additional half kWh is consumed for data centre infrastructure such as cooling, power distribution and lighting. It therefore shows the relationship between the total energy consumption of a data centre and the energy consumption of the IT hardware.
Experts consider a low PUE value efficient, but they use it only to indicate the additional energy consumption of the building and cooling infrastructure—not of the entire data centre.
What is the relationship between total energy consumption and energy consumption of information technology?
The current reporting shows PUE average values of between 1.15 and 1.66 for the member states, while the EU as a whole has a value of 1.36. To enlarge the values, please open the image in a new tab.
WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness): How efficiently is water used in the data centre?
The WUE key figure measures how efficiently a data centre uses water, expressed in cubic metres per megawatt hour of energy consumption for information technology (m3/MWh). A lower WUE value indicates higher water efficiency, which means that less water is used for the same computing power.WUE measures how efficiently a data centre uses water, expressed in cubic metres per megawatt hour of information technology energy consumption (m3/MWh). A lower WUE value indicates higher water efficiency, which means that less water is used for comparable IT capacity.
The water consumption of data centres depends primarily on the cooling technology used: Facilities that use evaporative systems consume a lot of water, while facilities that rely on dry coolers operate with little or no water.
Different conditions in Europe are not taken into account
The WUE is a helpful indicator for uniformly assessing the water consumption of data centres. However, the collected WUE Categories 1 and 2 are not showing what type of water is used or how scarce water is in the respective region. Possible effects on the local environment are also not taken into account – and there are very different conditions in Europe.
The current reporting shows WUE values of between 0.07 m³/MWh and 1.28 m³/MWh for the member states. The EU as a whole has a value of 0.58 m³/MWh. To enlarge the values please open the image in a new tab.
ERF (Energy Reuse Factor): How energy efficient is a data centre?
REF: The Energy Reuse Factor assesses how energy-efficient a data centre is. It indicates how much of the energy consumed – in particular through the waste heat generated – is reused for other purposes. For example, this surplus energy can heat buildings, warm water, or feed district and local heating networks.
The ERF assesses how extensively the theoretical waste heat generated by a data centre is used. It indicates how much of the energy consumed – in particular through the waste heat generated – is reused for other purposes. This surplus energy can, for example, be used to heat buildings, to heat water or to feed into district and local heating networks.
The value is between 0 and 1: An ERF of 1 means that all the energy used is completely reused. However, this is hardly achievable in practice, as energy is always lost during the transport or utilisation of waste heat and also depends on the demand of the heat consumer. An ERF of 0, on the other hand, means that no energy is recovered.
The use of waste heat from data centres offers a great opportunity
According to the Borderstep Institute, the electricity consumption of data centres in Germany alone was 20 terawatt hours in 2024. The digital association Bitkom estimates that the 90 large German data centres currently generate largely unused waste heat, which could theoretically supply 350,000 homes in Germany.
In the current reporting, the ERF values for the member states are between 0 (countries without waste heat utilisation from data centres in the reported data) and 0.457. The EU as a whole has a value of 0.205. However, the values here relate exclusively to data centres that use waste heat at all. In relation to all data centres, the value is 0.018. This means that data centres currently reuse only around 1.8 percent of their waste heat.To enlarge the values please open the image in a new tab.
REF (Renewable Energy Factor): How much renewable energy is used?
REF: The Renewable Energy Factor evaluates the proportion of a data centre’s energy consumption from renewable sources. It is expressed as a ratio or percentage, where a REF of 1.0 means that all energy consumption comes from renewable sources.
Data centres in the EU are increasingly relying on renewable energies
In many EU member states, there is an encouraging trend: data centres are increasingly using renewable energy, achieving an average REF of 0.87 across the EU.
This means that 87 percent of the electricity used by data centres comes from renewable sources. By comparison, the share of renewable energy in total electricity consumption in the EU is currently around 45 per cent. This means that data centres are already making a significantly above-average contribution to the energy transition in many countries.
The current reporting shows REF values of between 0.36 and 1.00 for the member states. The EU as a whole has a value of 0.86. This means that 86 percent of the energy used by data centres comes from renewable energy sources according to the definition of the REF (i.e. including certificates of origin). To enlarge the values please open the image in a new tab.
Why should we take a holistic view of the energy efficiency of data centres? PUE & Co. in interaction
Why PUE alone is not enough? Increases in PUE efficiency can have unintended consequences for other sustainability indicators. A holistic assessment must therefore include several indicators:
PUE: The PUE indicator shows how efficiently a data centre uses energy. It is the key indicator for evaluating the energy efficiency of data centres.
>ERF: The ERF – the proportion of energy recovered and utilised elsewhere – is also not directly related to the PUE. Energy-efficient cooling methods can, for example, make it more difficult to utilise waste heat and thus reduce the ERF.
REF: A low PUE says nothing about the origin of the energy used. A sustainable overall picture only emerges if the proportion of renewable energy is also high.
>WUE: If data centres improve the PUE, e.g. by switching to water-based cooling, this can increase water consumption – and thus worsen the WUE value.
The data collected for the first time provides a clearer picture of where European data centres stand in terms of sustainability - and how their future can be effectively shaped.
How can data centres become greener?
Many data centres state that they use “green electricity” – i.e. electricity from renewable sources such as wind or solar. Until now, companies have often ensured this using so-called guarantees of origin. Critics are increasingly questioning this method, as it does not always ensure that new green electricity is actually generated from renewable sources.
What are better ways to support the transition to a climate-neutral energy system?
Better ways to support the transition to a climate-neutral energy system:
Green electricity contracts (PPAs). Allow companies to purchase electricity directly from new wind or solar power plants and thereby actively support the expansion of renewable energies.
Hourly coordination of electricity generation and consumption. If data centres coordinate their consumption precisely with the times when green electricity is actually available, this helps the entire electricity system to become more climate-friendly.
On-site power generation. When data centres generate their own electricity from solar energy or other sources, they produce it exactly where it is needed. This relieves the power grid, reduces transmission losses, and saves space because operators do not have to build large plants far away.
Classification of the electricity consumption of data centres in the EU
In the first round of surveys (2023), researchers recorded data centres consuming a total of 14,088 GWh (14.09 TWh) of energy (see report p. 80).
Compared to the datacentermap.com database, a completeness of the first reporting of ~36% is assumed (see report p. 24). Datacentermap.com relies largely on voluntary entries and does not represent a comprehensive database of all data centres.
Furthermore, operators of data centres and IT rooms under 500 kW do not have to report their data. This means that the current figures do not contradict the 45-65 TWh from the meta-study by Kamiya, G. & Bertoldi, P. (2024) or the bottom-up estimate based on server sales of ~87 TWh forecast for 2025 in Hintemann (2020).
Publications on the topic
- European Commission: Directorate-General for Energy, AIT, Borderstep and EY. Assessment of the Energy Performance and Sustainability of Data Centres in the EU. First Technical Report, Publications Office of the European Union (2025). Download
- Coroamă, V. C., Hinterholzer, S., Dumbravă, O., & Hintemann, R. (2025) Energy Efficiency of Servers. Download
- Stand und Entwicklung des Rechenzentrumsstandorts Deutschland. Gutachten im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz. Berlin: BMWK (2025). Download
- Bitkom-Studie Rechenzentren in Deutschland: Aktuelle Marktentwicklungen – Stand 2024. Berlin: Bitkom. Download
Borderstep analyses energy efficiency of data centres for the EU
For the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the energy efficiency and sustainability of data centres in the EU is available. This is based on data provided by operators as part of a new EU reporting obligation.
The Borderstep Institute, together with EY and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), prepared the First Technical Report on behalf of the Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER). The report is part of the Data Centre Energy Efficiency Assessment and Reporting (EUDCEAR) project.
Analysis of key figures
The study evaluates data centres using established key figures on energy consumption, resource use and environmental impact. Including Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), Renewable Energy Factor (REF) and Energy Reuse Factor (ERF).
Major differences between the locations
The results show: Only 36 percent of the data centres subject to reporting requirements in the EU took part in the first survey. There are considerable differences between the locations, which indicate great potential for efficiency improvements. The Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact is regarded as a positive industry benchmark, particularly in terms of water consumption.
Feedback from the industry highlights the need for clear guidelines, simpler reporting obligations and standardised definitions in order to improve the quality and completeness of the data.
Contribution to EU climate targets
Borderstep’s analysis supports the implementation of the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. These goals include greater energy efficiency, the increased use of renewable energies, the utilisation of waste heat and transparent reporting on energy consumption and environmental impact. A further technical report will follow and create the basis for an EU-wide energy efficiency label and possibly minimum standards.
Borderstep contributes expertise in workshops
Borderstep also moderated parts of the accompanying stakeholder workshops within the consortium. Over 300 participants attended some of these online. The insights gained there feed directly into the political recommendations for action to the EU Commission.
Current “Facts & Figures” on the study available
To accompany the publication of the first technical report of this study, Borderstep has produced an up-to-date Facts & Figures. The overview summarises the most important results, places them in a political and technical context and visualises key figures clearly in graphs and diagrams. This allows developments and differences between the data centres to be seen at a glance.
All contents and illustrations of the Borderstep Facts & Figures are available for free use, provided the source is cited. The contents of the study are licensed under CC BY 4.0).
Green Economy