Data centres: Italian operators are calling for clear timelines

Among the many issues surrounding the topic of data centres for artificial intelligence, the most important one at present for EU bodies is being able to demonstrate, using comparable data, how much electricity and water these facilities consume, from which (renewable) sources they are powered, and how they can contribute to the overall European energy system by reusing some of the waste heat.

The European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED, 2023/1791) introduced monitoring and reporting obligations in this regard, as set out in Delegated Regulation 2024/1364, and in September the European Commission presented a rating scheme and a labelling system – currently under review by the Parliament and the Council (the first labels are expected in 2027) – designed to provide clarity on data centre figures and initiatives for the intensive use and development of renewable energy sources. In short, transparency is at the top of Brussels’ priorities, but it is clear that the obligation to measure alone cannot resolve all the problems associated with the evolution of a sector that is strategic for the global digital economy.

For example, a number of representatives from the Eudca (European Data Centre Association) who attended a recent data centre-themed event organised by Vertiv emphasised that one of the key issues is the diversity of infrastructure. Alongside large cloud and AI campuses, there are corporate facilities and smaller sites serving hospitals, banks and public authorities. Assessing energy consumption therefore requires looking not only at the size of these facilities but also at their function, their location and their relationship with local energy networks.

Another topic for discussion is integration with the existing electricity system: grid connections, the availability of new renewable generation capacity, energy storage and flexibility in consumption are all aspects that need to be planned right from the design phase of new data centres (and not just after they have been built), through close dialogue with local authorities and communities.

According to Michele Gallo, Secretary-General of Ida (Italian Datacentre Association), the European labelling scheme can certainly help to make the sector’s data and initiatives more transparent, whilst taking into account the obvious differences in the impact of these facilities, given the varying climatic conditions between northern and southern Europe. ‘We are a sustainable industry by necessity, and we are so first and foremost for economic reasons and to keep industrial costs down,’ he explained to *Il Sole 24 Ore*, ‘and secondly because of the potential benefits for the local area. We need clear timelines for implementation and a firm commitment from the relevant institutions regarding the validation and management of projects for new data centres.”