Data Centers in Europe: Where They Are and Their Power Use
New large grid connections in Frankfurt face limits to 2030 and beyond, and no Europe-wide data center water total was found.
Data centers in the European Union (EU) used about 70 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024, according to an International Energy Agency (IEA) estimate cited by the European Commission. In Frankfurt, data centers account for up to 40% of the city's power demand, and new large grid connections face limits with estimates running to 2030 and the mid-2030s. AlgorithmWatch describes Frankfurt, and the site's Ireland explainer describes Ireland. No Europe-wide water total was found in those sources.
Where Europe's Data Centers Are and How Much Power They Use
The Commission's energy page gives 70 TWh as the 2024 IEA estimate for the EU. The same estimate heads toward 115 TWh by 2030. The figures cover the EU only and exclude the UK, Norway and other non-EU countries, so they are not a total for Europe.
The same page puts global data center use at 415 TWh, about 1.5% of world electricity. The Commission page and AlgorithmWatch give no Europe-wide facility count.
AlgorithmWatch gives one national share, for Germany. AlgorithmWatch reports that data centers and small IT installations in Germany used about 4% of gross power in 2024. A Federal Network Agency scenario puts that share at up to 10% by 2037. The same reporting says the EU aims to triple data center capacity within five to seven years.
AlgorithmWatch documents Frankfurt. DataCenterMap lists 126 data centers in Frankfurt, and the city has approved 12 more, according to AlgorithmWatch. The table below lists the Frankfurt facts and the source for each.
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Share of Frankfurt's power demand from data centers | Up to 40% | Oeko-Institut report, as cited by AlgorithmWatch |
| Data centers listed in Frankfurt | 126 | DataCenterMap, as cited by AlgorithmWatch |
| Additional data centers approved in Frankfurt | 12 | AlgorithmWatch |
| Qualifying connection requests a year at Mainova's subsidiary NRM | About 5 to 10 | AlgorithmWatch |
| Size of each qualifying connection request | 50 to 100 megawatts (MW) | AlgorithmWatch |
| Land designated for data centers in Frankfurt | About 75 hectares | AlgorithmWatch |
Readers who want the mechanics behind these energy figures can read why AI uses so much energy.
Frankfurt's Grid Limits New Data Center Connections
AlgorithmWatch's reporting on Frankfurt centers on limits to new grid connections. AlgorithmWatch reports that Mainova's subsidiary NRM sees about 5 to 10 qualifying connection requests a year. Each request is for 50 to 100 MW. Since 2020, requests above 3.5 MW have been allocated pro rata.
A statement on timing comes from Kilian Wagner of the industry group Bitkom. Wagner told AlgorithmWatch: "Until 2030, new larger projects will actually have no chance of being connected to the grid."
Mainova makes a separate estimate. It says new high-performance connections will only be available again in the mid-2030s. The two statements have different speakers and cover different connections: Wagner's concerns new larger projects until 2030, and Mainova's concerns new high-performance connections from the mid-2030s.
AlgorithmWatch also reports that CyrusOne is expanding its FRA7 site from 84 MW to 126 MW with gas-powered generators, in a partnership with E.ON, presumably because the grid could not supply the extra power.
AlgorithmWatch reports that all companies needing a large grid connection are affected, because network operators must treat all customers equally.
Ireland Has Its Own Guide
Ireland is the second hub covered, in the site's own explainer. The explainer on AI data centers in Ireland states that Irish data centers use about a fifth of national electricity and that grid-connection curbs apply. The Commission page and AlgorithmWatch describe no other hub.
What the EU Makes Data Centers Report on Power and Water
EU law now requires monitoring and reporting of data center energy performance and sustainability. The Commission has built a European database of energy and water footprint data for data centers with large consumption, according to the Commission page.
A draft Delegated Regulation would set a common Union rating scheme for data centers. The draft carries the reference Ares(2026)3247482 and is dated 26 March 2026. It was not adopted on that date.
The draft rates data centers on Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), each in classes A to G. Under the draft, an electronic label generated automatically from the European database is due by 15 August 2027 and every year after that. Each label is valid from 15 August to 15 August. Data centers below 500 kW may take part voluntarily.
The label shows the PUE class, the WUE class, the renewable and nuclear energy breakdown, grid flexibility and waste-heat-reuse readiness. The thresholds for each class are set out in the Annexes and shown below.
| Class | PUE | WUE |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1.15 or less | 0.1 or less |
| B | Above 1.15, up to 1.25 | Above 0.1, up to 0.2 |
| C | Above 1.25, up to 1.35 | Above 0.2, up to 0.4 |
| D | Above 1.35, up to 1.5 | Above 0.4, up to 0.6 |
| E | Above 1.5, up to 1.7 | Above 0.6, up to 0.8 |
| F | Above 1.7, up to 1.9 | Above 0.8, up to 1.0 |
| G | Above 1.9 | Above 1.0 |
PUE is determined under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364, Annex III point (a). WUE is total freshwater input in cubic metres divided by IT energy.
The Commission transmitted the delegated act to the Council on 21 September 2026, and as far as the cited sources show, it has not entered into force. The Council register lists the act as C(2026) 3472 final, with its Annexes as Council document 13444/26 ADD 1. No Official Journal publication was found.
What Europe Does Not Publish About Data Center Water Use
No Europe-wide data center water total was found in the Commission page or in AlgorithmWatch's reporting.
WUE is total freshwater input in cubic metres divided by IT energy. A WUE class therefore describes water use per unit of IT energy and gives no total volume of water. The label classes do not on their own show local water stress. The Annexes say each label is to be accompanied by a Commission document explaining, among other items, the relative importance of WUE values to local water stress.
Neither the Commission page nor the Annexes show that operator-level or aggregate water figures are publicly available yet. The AlgorithmWatch article does not discuss water. For a separate explainer on the water side of AI, see how much water AI uses.
What Residents Can Do
Residents can take the following steps.
- Read the rating label once it is issued. The draft sets the first electronic label for 15 August 2027.
- Attend planning consultations for any proposed large project near you.
- Start with the data center map.
- Read how to stop a data center before a consultation on a proposed site.
For a US comparison, see the data center impact explainer.
EU data centers used about 70 TWh in 2024. AlgorithmWatch documents Frankfurt's grid limits in detail, and no Europe-wide water total was found. The answer rests on the Commission's energy page, AlgorithmWatch's reporting, and the Commission's transmitted Annexes. It would change if the delegated act enters into force, if the EU database publishes aggregate figures, if Germany changes its connection rules, or if the IEA revises its estimate.
Readers tracking data centers in Europe can start with the Commission's energy page and return to the EU database once it publishes figures.
Frequently asked questions
▸ How much electricity do data centers use in Europe?
▸ Does Europe have as many data centers as the United States?
▸ Are data centers banned in Europe?
▸ What is the biggest issue with data centers in Europe?
▸ Is there an EU rating for data center energy and water use?
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