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• Improving the sustainability of data centres in Europe

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.