The European Commission has published a report on data centre energy efficiency in the European Union. According to the report, data centres consumed 68 TWh of electricity in 2024, with consumption projected to reach 114 TWh by 2030, equivalent to 3.2% of the EU’s electricity demand. The assessment examines available data on the sector's sustainability, including indicators such as Power Usage Effectiveness, Water Usage Effectiveness, Energy Reuse Factor, and Renewable Energy Factor.

The report notes that the growth of digital services, artificial intelligence and computing capacity is increasing demand for data centre infrastructure, creating challenges related to energy availability, electricity grids, carbon emissions and water resources. It also outlines possible future measures, including improvements to reporting requirements, the development of a common EU rating scheme for data centres, the introduction of minimum performance standards and an assessment of pathways towards a net-zero-emission sector.