• Allgemein

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.

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.

Sometimes a single number tells the whole story – or at least a pretty interesting one. In cooperation with DataCenter-Insider, we highlight one standout figure from the world of data centers each week.

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

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.

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.

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

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).

As part of a study commissioned by the Directorate-General for Energy of the European Commission, the Borderstep Institute is inviting participants to a series of workshops focusing on the sustainable design of data centres in the EU. The goal is to improve energy efficiency in EU data centers, promote the use of renewable energy, and examine the feasibility of a climate-neutral data centre sector.

The study analyzes data from the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) reporting and conducts extensive surveys and interviews with experts and operators. It evaluates existing reporting standards on the environmental impact of data centres and develops policy recommendations for the EU.

As part of the consultation activities, several workshops are being held to engage stakeholders from the data centrer industry. The next workshop is scheduled for June 18, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, and will take place online. Interested parties can register using the registration form.

You can find further information about the workshop series and registration on the event website.

About the study

How can data centres in the European Union become more energy-efficient and sustainable? The study aims to enhance the evaluation of data centre energy efficiency while also developing additional measures to support the creation of an EU-wide sustainability assessment framework for data centres.

Objectives of the study:

• To record and assess the sustainability of data centers in the EU
• Analysis of existing reporting standards on the environmental impact of data centers
• Develop measures to increase energy efficiency and promote renewable energies
• Investigate the feasibility of a “net zero” data center sector
• Providing recommendations for EU policy action

The study is based on an analysis of data from the EED reporting on data centres in Europe. In addition, the project team gains further insights into the sustainability and development of data centres in the EU by conducting extensive surveys, interviewing experts and operators, and evaluating existing publications. They also assess the effectiveness of current regulations and explore ways to optimise them.

Climate impact in figures: The Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability has started work on the Train4Impact project together with the start-up ImpactNexus. The aim is to support start-ups that focus on the common good in measuring and optimising their climate impact.

What is the climate impact of my business model and how can I optimise it?

Innovative tools such as the GHG & Impact Estimator, workshops and personalised advice are used to search for and find tailor-made solutions for young companies. The start-ups benefit from the Borderstep Institute’s many years of expertise and application-oriented formats.

Green start-ups could save more than 10% of German greenhouse gas emissions

The figures speak for themselves: start-ups with a focus on sustainability could save up to 73 million tonnes of CO₂e in Germany every year – a potential that accounts for more than 10% of German greenhouse gas emissions.

The project is funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (ESF Plus).

The Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability and ESCP Business School officially announce their collaboration in a new research and transfer area: Sustainable Business Models. The cooperation agreement, which was signed in early August, runs from September 2024 to August 2026 and marks the beginning of intensive joint research work that will take place under the umbrella of the Borderstep Institute and the ESCP STAR Center. Prof. Dr. Florian Lüdeke-Freund, Head of the Chair of Corporate Sustainability at ESCP Business School in Berlin, will lead the project.

“We measure what counts!”

The collaboration will focus on the transformation of entrepreneurial business models and how sustainable business models can be effectively supported and expanded.

Prof. Dr. Klaus Fichter, founder and director of the Borderstep Institute, is very pleased about the cooperation with ESCP Business School and the opportunity to establish the joint research and transfer area “Sustainable Business Models” with Prof. Dr. Florian Lüdeke-Freund and his team. “We are pooling the excellent research expertise of Professor Lüdeke-Freund and the Borderstep Institute in the fields of sustainable entrepreneurship, sustainability innovations and impact measurement,” says Fichter. “We see ourselves as one of the global hotspots in the research of sustainable business models and the provision of know-how for the practical implementation and dissemination of sustainable entrepreneurship. Our motto: We Measure what Matters!”

Tackling future issues in concrete terms – cooperation focuses on application-oriented sustainability research

Prof. Dr. Klaus Fichter and Prof. Dr. Florian Lüdeke-Freund have enjoyed a close scientific collaboration for over ten years, which is now being intensified and made more visible to the public. The aim of the alliance is to pool the expertise of both partners and jointly advance application-oriented sustainability research. By developing the “Sustainable Business Models” research area, the aim is to solve pressing future issues in the long term and take a leading role in research into sustainable business models.

Prof. Dr. Florian Lüdeke-Freund, holder of the Chair of Corporate Sustainability and co-founder of the ESCP STAR Centre, sees the cooperation as a unique opportunity for scientifically sound and practice-oriented research. “For over 20 years, the Borderstep Institute has proven with independence and foresight that it is a leader in researching and supporting sustainability innovations and sustainable entrepreneurship,” says Lüdeke-Freund. “I am delighted that we will be working together to further develop the research area of sustainable business models. Practice-oriented projects and the exchange with stakeholders from business and politics will play an important role in this.”

Borderstep and ESCP Business School are pursuing several specific goals with the alliance:

• Acquiring research funding: The partners want to jointly secure funding for research projects.
  High-ranking publications: Joint scientific articles in renowned journals are targeted.
  Transfer of science into practice: A central concern is to transfer research results into practical applications.

Initial projects and future plans

Although the official collaboration will not begin until September 2024, a joint project has already been acquired for the German Energy Agency (dena). This first project deals with business models for smart building technology and will be completed by November 2024. Further projects and transfer formats are already being planned.

ESCP Business School is an international business school with campuses in 6 major European cities – Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Turin and Warsaw. Founded in 1819, ESCP is the first business school in the world. The academic focus at the Berlin campus is on entrepreneurship, sustainability and digitalization as well as diversity and inclusion.