{
  "id": 10037403,
  "title": "Europe's data centers may drive digital sovereignty",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/europes-data-centers-may-drive-digital-sovereignty-10037403",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-26T18:08:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW News",
    "slug": "dw-news",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/europe-s-data-centers-may-drive-digital-sovereignty/a-79419800?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "European data centers could play a crucial role in ensuring digital sovereignty within the continent. As the global conversation regarding artificial intelligence and its potential risks intensifies, local debates concerning the location of data centers have become more prevalent. This issue is particularly pressing in Europe, where numerous governments and businesses are opting to store data within the region rather than relying on the United States, which is the worldwide leader in computing.\n\nHowever, the growth of European digital sovereignty will inevitably lead to an increase in resource consumption on the continent. According to German economic officials, each kilowatt-hour of electricity used by data centers consumes between 0.4 and 4.4 liters of water for cooling purposes. As European summers become hotter, water restrictions have been imposed on residents, agriculture, and even nuclear power plants. The upcoming years are predicted to have even warmer temperatures, raising concerns about the potential escalation of water and electricity consumption in data centers.\n\nThe European Commission recently introduced a new scheme to enhance transparency on the energy and water usage of data centers. Facilities with over 500 kW capacity will receive an efficiency grade, taking into account their contribution to the grid, including the reuse of waste heat. European officials emphasize that tripling the capacity of data centers should not result in a proportional increase in strain on grids, water resources, and energy expenses. The most prominent data centers are currently established near major European cities, such as Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin, due to their superior connectivity, proximity to end-users, established ecosystems, and reliable supply chains.\n\nNonetheless, the demand for data centers is evolving as existing markets confront power and grid infrastructure limitations. New data centers are being constructed in rural areas, including Groningen in the Netherlands, Barcelona in Spain, Brussels in Belgium, and various other locations. As this trend continues, protests have emerged both online and offline. Protests against Google's proposed data center in Kronstorf, Austria, and the planned data center in Killala, Ireland, highlight the growing public opposition to these projects.\n\nSome data center operators argue for the possibility of constructing eco-friendly facilities. A new data center under development in Marseille, France, will employ a cooling system that utilizes 30% less power and does not consume water. In Scandinavia, waste heat from servers is rerouted into district heating networks, decreasing the overall energy consumption. A recent German energy company survey revealed that nearly three-quarters of people would be more inclined to support the establishment of data centers near residential areas if they contributed to waste heat integration into the heating network.\n\nAdvocates of building more data centers in Europe argue that these facilities not only bolster the continent's digital sovereignty but also enhance energy independence.",
  "summary": "Massive data centers needed to run AI are triggering protests across Europe. Their operators counter that they boost digital sovereignty and energy independence.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Europe's data centers may drive digital sovereignty",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/europes-data-centers-may-drive-digital-sovereignty",
        "published": "2026-09-26T18:08:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}