Data Center Number of the Week
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.
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
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- Here you will find more about our research topic Digitisation & Green IT
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