Executive Summary
- The European Data Centre Association announces the co-signing of a Declaration of Intent for the sustainable integration of data centres into the EU system. This move accelerates investment in AI infrastructure and improves coordination between authorities, data centres and operators.
- The declaration aligns with overarching goals stated in the EU Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy Sector, the Data Centre Energy Efficiency Package, the European Grids Package, and the Cloud and AI Development Act.
- Europe’s AI, cloud and digital ambitions will require significant new infrastructure capacity over the coming years and closer coordination is necessary to achieve growth goals.
The European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) is delighted to announce the co-signing of a Declaration of Intent to advance the sustainable integration of data centres into the European Union (EU) energy system, in the context of the European Commission Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy Sector.
As Europe accelerates investment in AI, cloud and digital infrastructure, closer coordination between data centres, grid operators and public authorities is becoming increasingly important to ensure that future growth supports Europe’s energy transition objectives.
With €200 billion being mobilised to support AI development, across 19 AI factories that will support startups, industry, and research activities, the declaration provides a platform to engage with the authorities in Member States to develop an EU template with a set of shared principles, good practices, procedures and joint activities that may be adopted by Member States to establish coordinated frameworks for cooperation between data centres, energy stakeholders and local authorities.
The declaration aligns with the overarching goals stated in the EU Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy Sector, the Data Centre Energy Efficiency Package, the European Grids Package, and the Cloud and AI Development Act. In view of the EU aim to significantly increase its data centre capacity within five to seven years, this cooperation is targeted to unlock the required capacity through voluntary actions that facilitate infrastructure integration while meeting energy and sustainability goals.
Co-signatories of the Declaration of Intent include:
“The energy system can no longer be viewed as a single connection to a single data centre,” said Lex Coors, President of EUDCA. “Europe is moving into a more complex, four-dimensional environment where capacity, flexibility, sustainability and digital resilience must be planned together. Data centres are becoming part of the wider energy system, and this Declaration of Intent is an important step towards building that cooperation in a responsible and future-proof way.”
“Europe’s AI, cloud and digital ambitions will require significant new infrastructure capacity over the coming years. Delivering that growth responsibly will depend on much closer coordination between the digital infrastructure and energy sectors, “said Michael Winterson, Secretary General of EUDCA. “This Declaration of Intent shows our commitment to partner with energy providers, local authorities and wider EU institutions to deliver on advanced technologies, energy, and sustainability ambitions.”
The declaration provides for the establishment of working clusters focusing on identified priorities: planning, forecast and connection agreements, flexibility, energy generation and storage.
The EUDCA is to play a leading role within these working clusters, mobilising its technical and policy experts to contribute actively to discussions and outcomes, reflecting both the strategic importance of these topics for the sector, and the association’s commitment to driving their implementation in close cooperation with partners.
By co-signing the declaration, the EUDCA reinforces its position as the leading European voice for sustainable digital infrastructure and a strategic partner in shaping the future relationship between Europe’s digital and energy ecosystems.
