The European Union is moving to establish binding energy‑efficiency benchmarks for data centres, responding to projections that the sector’s electricity demand will more than double by 2030.
Under the revised Energy Efficiency Directive, the European Commission will introduce minimum performance standards for both new and existing data centres, with a full needs assessment expected by 2027, according to a statement cited by Reuters. The measures support the EU’s 2030 climate objective of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% from 1990 levels.
Brussels is also developing a sustainability label for data centres, covering metrics such as water consumption and the share of clean‑energy supply. Large facilities would be required to publicly disclose this information. Officials are still debating how to classify data centres powered by nuclear energy, Reuters reported.
The Commission said the new rules aim to strengthen incentives for operators to improve efficiency, enhance transparency, and ensure consistent performance standards across the bloc. The framework builds on existing reporting and rating obligations under the Energy Efficiency Directive.
The urgency is driven by rapid growth: EU data‑centre capacity is expected to rise from 12 GW in 2025 to 28 GW by 2030, pushing their share of EU electricity consumption beyond the current 2.5%. Globally, data centres are projected to account for 20% of electricity‑demand growth in advanced economies by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.
“Energy efficiency is a central pillar of the EU’s energy and climate framework, delivering savings, improving affordability, and strengthening competitiveness on the path to climate neutrality,” the Commission said.
The EU is also preparing a post‑2030 energy‑efficiency framework, due later this year, to guide policy for the next decade.
According to Reuters, the initiative forms part of a broader EU tech package designed to expand domestic cloud and AI capacity and reduce reliance on major U.S. technology providers. Additional measures include using generative AI to accelerate permitting for energy projects and funding AI tools to support Europe’s power‑grid management.
Image sourced from İsmail Enes Ayhan on Unsplash
News sourced from https://www.energyconnects.com/news/technology/2026/june/eu-sets-energy-standards-for-data-centres-amid-soaring-power-demand/
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