EU plans energy efficiency standards for data centres
The EU will set energy standards for data centres to manage rising power use. Capacity is expected to more than double to 28 gigawatts by 2030.
The European Union will develop minimum energy-efficiency standards for data centres to manage a projected 133% surge in power capacity to 28 GW by 2030. This expansion follows a baseline of 12 GW last year as the bloc seeks to regulate the infrastructure underpinning digital services. The move aims to prevent rising electricity demand from stalling the transition to clean energy or increasing regional power costs.
### Curbing the AI Power Surge Data centres currently account for 2.5% of electricity consumption across the member states. The European Commission plans to establish performance benchmarks for both new and existing facilities, with a formal needs assessment scheduled for 2027. This expansion follows the growth of generative AI and digital services requiring high-performance computing resources.
