POSITION | DIGITAL POLICY | DATA CENTRE EFFICIENCY
Energy Efficiency – Rating Scheme for Data Centers in Europe Position of the Federation of German Industries (BDI)
23 April 2026 Executive Summary Data centres form the backbone of the digital transformation and are a critical enabler of Europe’s competitiveness, innovation capacity, and digital sovereignty. They underpin the storage, processing, and provision of data in an increasingly interconnected and data-driven world. As data-intensive applications – particularly in cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) – continue to expand rapidly, demand for high-performance, energy-efficient, and sustainable digital infrastructure is rising accordingly. In particular when compared to the United States and China, the European Union (EU) lags significantly behind in expanding its data centre capacity. The EU currently accounts for a total IT load capacity of around 10.9 GW, whereas the United States (48 GW) and China (38 GW) maintain a substantial lead. Closing this gap in a timely manner must be a clear strategic priority, with the ambition not only to catch up, but to keep pace with the world’s leading economies in the global race for digital infrastructure. It is evident that member states will need to significantly expand their data centre capacities in the upcoming years. This necessitates the further development of regulatory, infrastructural, and investment frameworks at both the European and national levels. However, new legislation must not hinder the expansion of high-performance data centres or create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles - particularly with regard to sustainability and energy efficiency. The twin transition – the simultaneous advancement of digitalisation and decarbonisation – must be pursued in a coherent and mutually reinforcing manner. Digital and climate policy objectives should not be treated in isolation or set in opposition to one another. On the contrary, sufficient data centre capacity is a prerequisite for enabling the technological innovation required to achieve climate neutrality and strengthen Europe’s industrial competitiveness. In this context, German industry supports the European Commission’s objective of establishing a unified EU rating system to enhance transparency regarding the energy efficiency and sustainability of data centres. Such a system can contribute to the consistent coordination of efficiency and climate targets across Europe, while helping to identify efficiency potential, stimulate innovation, and facilitate sustainable investment decisions. Bernardo E. Jacobs | Bereich Innovation, Sicherheit, Technologie | B.Jacobs@bdi.eu | www.bdi.eu Philipp Schweikle | Bereich Innovation, Sicherheit, Technologie | P.Schweikle@bdi.eu | www.bdi.eu Polina Khubbeeva | Bereich Innovation, Sicherheit, Technologie | P.Khubbeeva@bdi.eu | www.bdi.eu