Spain has put forward a draft decree for new data centers that, if it goes through, would give the country some of the strictest sustainability rules for these facilities anywhere in Europe.
The draft says that if you bring a site larger than 1 MW online, you’ll need to match 80% of its electricity use with renewables on an hourly basis, not through annual certificates. Fall short of that mark, and you could, in the end, lose access to the grid. The same proposal would also require all data and metadata to be stored inside the EU.
It goes further. For every 1 MW of capacity you add, you’d have 18 months to put 1 MW of new renewable generation in place. That’s a tougher standard, and it could leave operators relying more on batteries, storage, and more complicated power agreements. It could also drive up costs and put Spain’s appeal to the test, even with its solar and wind resources, cable connections, available land, and a projected €21 billion in digital infrastructure investment by 2027.
If you run data centers in Europe, or invest in them, keep an eye on this. The industry has been asking for clearer grid rules, but it also says terms this rigid could hurt competitiveness at a time when operators are already dealing with connection delays, closer scrutiny, and pressure over climate impact. Germany and Ireland are tightening policy as well.
For now, Spain’s decree is still only a draft.
Author: Julianne Omamos
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