European data on data centres remains far from complete
An EU evaluation found problems with participation, completeness and comparability of energy data.
European reporting on data centre energy use still does not provide a complete picture. According to Dutch implementing agency RVO, only 36 per cent of European data centres took part in the data collection for 2024.
The reporting obligation stems from the European Energy Efficiency Directive. Since 2024, data centre operators have had to submit annual information on energy efficiency and sustainability, among other matters. The data are intended to improve monitoring of energy use in a rapidly growing digital sector.
The European Commission analysed data from 770 sites. According to RVO, this represents 36 per cent of data centres in the European Union. The Commission concluded that the quality and completeness of the data could be improved and proposed measures to make the system clearer and more reliable.
In the Netherlands, RVO publishes data that have not been designated as commercially confidential. Companies may mark information as confidential, but according to RVO they must be able to demonstrate that the interest in secrecy outweighs the public interest in disclosure of energy use.
The government says that large data centres did provide their information when asked to do so. Answers to parliamentary questions state that exceptions apply to commercially confidential data. This makes it necessary to distinguish between non-submission, confidentiality and data that were submitted but are not made public.
RVO monitors compliance and can check the reporting. The available figures therefore provide some insight, but not yet a complete comparison between countries or companies. As long as participation and data quality vary, it remains difficult to assess data centre energy use precisely or to base policy reliably on benchmarks.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The European reporting covered 770 sites, 36 per cent of data centres.
- The European Commission sees problems with completeness and data quality.
- Commercially confidential information may be excluded from the public data.
Left
Arguments Large energy users should disclose complete and verifiable information. Without transparency, citizens and governments cannot properly assess the climate and grid impacts of data centres.
Values Transparency, public scrutiny and climate responsibility.
Consequences Stricter disclosure rules could encourage companies to operate more efficiently, but could affect commercial interests.
Centre
Arguments Reporting is necessary, but the rules should make data comparable without unnecessarily disclosing commercially sensitive information. The quality of the system should be improved first.
Values Reliable statistics, proportionality and practicability.
Consequences A harmonised system could improve policy, but would require additional oversight and administrative capacity.
Right
Arguments Companies should retain room to treat technical and commercial information as confidential. Excessively burdensome disclosure requirements could slow investment and digital infrastructure.
Values Competitiveness, innovation and property rights.
Consequences Greater confidentiality protects companies, but can limit public scrutiny of energy use.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The participation rate, exceptions for commercial confidentiality and oversight were directly checked with RVO and Overheid.nl. The text distinguishes between missing, confidential and non-public data.
- confirmed 36 per cent of European data centres took part in the reporting for 2024. — RVO states this based on the EU evaluation. source
- confirmed The EU analysis covered 770 sites. — This number appears on the RVO page. source
- confirmed Commercially confidential data can be excluded from publication. — RVO describes the confidentiality procedure. source
Editor's note
RVO has described the EU participation rate of 36 per cent and the problems with completeness. The government says Google and Microsoft provided information; it remains unclear which data are publicly available.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „datacenters energiegebruik”
- FD — „datacenters energiegebruik”
- Trouw — „datacenters energiegebruik”