European data-centre expansion faces protests over power and water

Europe’s plans to expand data-centre capacity are facing growing resistance over the facilities’ demands for electricity, water and land. Governments and companies want more data stored and processed in Europe rather than the United States, supporting the continent’s goal of greater digital sovereignty. But that expansion would increase pressure on local resources.

Germany’s economic ministry says data centres use an average of 0.4 to 4.4 litres of water for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed for cooling. Concerns have intensified after Europe’s hottest summer on record, when water restrictions affected residents, agriculture and some nuclear power plants. Electricity use is another concern.

Finland’s grid operator Fingrid forecast that consumption could rise by almost 40 per cent if all projects with signed connection agreements were built in full. The European Commission this week announced a transparency scheme for facilities with capacity above 500 kilowatts. They will receive efficiency grades that consider energy and water use as well as benefits such as waste-heat reuse.

Protests have taken place in Austria, Ireland and France. In Ireland, author Sally Rooney helped overturn planning permission for a proposed centre, while elected officials in the French village of Etrechet resigned over Google’s plans for a facility requiring up to 1.1 gigawatts. Operators say technology can reduce the burden.

A Marseille centre is expected to use water-free cooling, while facilities in Scandinavia feed server heat into district networks. Data centres may also connect backup batteries to local grids, supporters say.