The European Commission aims to triple EU data center capacity within five to seven years, increasing from approximately 12 GW to over 27 GW of electrical power, requiring an estimated 200 billion euros in mostly private investment. Electricity consumption from these facilities is projected to rise from 68 TWh to 114 TWh per year by 2030, an increase of nearly 68%. A bill introduced on September 21, 2026, proposed a transparency rating system for data centers exceeding 500 kW, evaluating their energy efficiency and renewable energy usage. Ireland, the Netherlands, and France are facing growing local opposition due to grid constraints, water consumption for cooling processes, and the environmental impact of these facilities.
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