QAZAQ GREEN.  The European Commission has proposed a common rating system for data centres to improve transparency around their energy use and support their sustainable integration into Europe's energy system.

The scheme would apply to individual data centres with a capacity of more than 500 kW. It would require transparent reporting of actual resource use, including electricity and water, and assess the contribution of data centres to the energy system.

The proposed framework would take into account measures such as reusing waste heat and increasing clean energy generation capacity, while allowing flexibility in how the system is implemented.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centres could account for more than 3% of total electricity demand in the European Union by 2030. The sector's growth is increasing pressure on power grids and natural resources, including water.

The EU plans to triple its data centre capacity over the next five to seven years. The European Commission says sustainable and flexible data centres that can adjust their electricity consumption to grid conditions could help reduce overall energy system costs, improve grid stability and support greater integration of renewable energy.

The Commission cited waste heat reuse as one example. It estimates that reusing around half of the waste heat generated by data centres across Europe could meet the heating needs of four million households.

The Commission has also launched data collection and a public consultation on minimum performance standards for data centres operating in Europe.

The legislative proposal for the common rating system will now undergo a two-month scrutiny period in the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. The first sustainability labels for individual data centres are expected in 2027.