10 February 2025

SYSTEM OVERLOAD: How new data centres could throw Europe’s energy transition off course

Booming data centre growth in Europe is leading to a surge in power demand, potentially posing a serious risk of escalating emissions—either through expanded gas infrastructure or by pushing other sectors onto fossil fuels. The SYSTEM OVERLOAD: How New Data Centres Could Throw Europe’s Energy Transition Off Course report looks at data centre expansion in Europe and its potential consequences for the energy transition and the climate crisis.

It reveals that over the next six years, soaring data centre power demand in the EU could drive a 121 million-tonne surge in CO2 emissions—nearly equivalent to the total emissions from all gas power plants in Italy, Germany, and the UK in 2024 combined. In an alternate reality, where this expansion relies solely on already-planned renewable energy, data centres alone would consume almost 20% of new EU renewables by 2030.

Without clear policies from Big Tech companies and governments to ensure new demand is met with new and additional renewables and grids, data centre expansion could significantly increase emissions. The report urges tech companies to commit to phase out fossil fuels and ensure new data centres are powered by additional renewable energy, delivered by the same grid and in the same hour as their energy needs.