EU data centre market showing strong gains and growth: report

A report from data centre pricing estimates over 6 million sqm of equipped data centre space – encompassing 9 GW of capacity – across 15 European countries, with intense growth in the market expected to continue.

Currently, the largest data centre markets in terms of equipped space are the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. These four countries account for 70% of the total space, with just the top two (UK and Germany) making up 44% of the data centre sqm.

Unsurprisingly, across these four countries, most of the capacity is centred around the largest urban areas, including Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, and London. Altogether, these four cities account for 1.3 million sqm of the 6 million sqm estimated total.

The top four markets are expected to continue to grow through 2025, as measured by planned data centre space. This calculation was made after analyzing planned increases to data centre space as compared to the current existing space. The UK will grow an additional 25% over current equipped space, while Germany is expected to add over 40% space to current totals. Altogether, the top four countries will account for 46% of growth in equipped data centre space over the next four years.

However, the majority of growth is expected to be in secondary data centre market countries: including Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy. The planned growth ranges from 470% projected increase in Portugal, to 67% growth in Italy.

Projections for increases in data centre space and capacity were made based on already announced projects, to be completed between 2021 and 2025. These projects will amount to an additional 1.5 million sqm of equipped data centre space and 2,250 MW of power.

These projects are largely centred in and around the urban centres in secondary markets: from Rome to Zurich and Madrid. The SINES 4.0 campus in Portugal will include 450 MW of power alone, quadrupling the total data centre capacity in the entire country on its own.