By 2030, Europe’s data centres are predicted to need around 35GW of installed capacity, more than triple the current figure. This surge highlights the scale of the continent’s digital transformation.
As AI and cloud computing continue to expand, energy and connectivity have become inseparable. Europe’s digital economy now runs on electrons as much as fibre.
Meanwhile, connectivity has long been invisible, but in the AI era, it is the nervous system of the modern economy. Every transaction, every model, every innovation rides on a network of submarine cables, fibre links and terrestrial hubs, carrying the data that fuels the continent.
Hubs in Marseille, Lisbon, Milan and Athens connect Europe to Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, while internet exchanges in Paris, Madrid, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and London orchestrate the dense flow of digital traffic. They form essential infrastructure for businesses, governments and AI innovators alike.
As AI workloads surge, low-latency interconnections have become a necessity – not a luxury – for Europe to stay competitive on the global stage.
Connecting Europe at scale
Data4 has established itself as a key player in this ecosystem. With a capacity of 1.5GW of interconnected power spanning multiple countries, the company offers hyperscalers, cloud platforms and AI firms reliable, low-latency access across the continent.
To support growth, Data4 is executing a €21.5 billion investment plan through 2030.
The company’s network of data centres is fully integrated with both submarine and terrestrial systems, allowing seamless global connectivity while supporting Europe’s ambitions for digital sovereignty.
Data4’s expansion is both rapid and strategic. In Hanau near Frankfurt in Germany, the firm is building a €2 billion mega-campus on a former military site, designed to deliver up to 180MW of power using electricity 100% offset by renewable energy.
The campus will also feed excess heat into the local district heating system, creating a circular energy model that benefits the community. In France, PAR03, a new campus in Paris-Saclay with 250MW of power capacity, will consolidate the region as a European interconnection hub for global AI and cloud networks.
In addition, Data4 is developing AI mega-campuses designed to accommodate high-density computing workloads.
Sustainable model
Sustainability is central to Data4’s energy model, with the company using carbon-free energy that primarily comes from renewable sources. It has secured long-term power purchase agreements with EDF for nuclear energy, Eurowatt for wind power and Photosol for solar energy, and with Total Energies for renewable energy.
This diversified energy mix not only ensures a stable power supply for the company’s data centres, but also contributes to the expansion of renewable energy capacity across Europe.
By aligning infrastructure growth with clean energy, Data4 helps stabilise grids, accelerate electrification and reduce its carbon footprint, positioning itself as a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure.
Local engagement is equally essential. Each campus is developed in close collaboration with regional authorities, utility providers and local communities, generating economic value, fostering skilled employment and seamlessly integrating large-scale infrastructure into its surroundings.
Building Europe’s digital future
The future of Europe’s digital economy depends on the intersection of connectivity, energy, compute capacity and sovereignty, with building more capacity alone being insufficient. Infrastructure must be interconnected globally, anchored locally and powered sustainably.
Data4 demonstrates that this balance is achievable. Its projects combine scale, strategic location and carbon-free energy to meet the demands of AI, cloud computing and hyperscale workloads.
As Europe enters an AI-driven era, the challenge is for the region to no longer simply keep pace with global digital growth, but to do so on its own terms, with infrastructure that is resilient, sustainable and distinctly European.
By leveraging innovation, clean energy and local engagement, Data4 is helping to write the blueprint for the continent’s digital future.
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