How an Industry Transformed Itself Sustainably, Proactively and Voluntarily

Welcome to our very first LinkedIn newsletter! As a part of the European Data Centre Association community, we, the EUDCA team, are thrilled to embark on this exciting journey with you.?

In this inaugural edition, we delve deeper into the recent milestone announcement of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact .??

The Pact has delivered its first annual letter of certification against our Self-Regulatory Initiative (the Initiative), confirming that signatories have the processes and measures in place to be climate neutral by 2030.?

Recap & ambitious targets?

The Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, a brainchild of EUDCA and Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE), launched in January 2021 with the transformative goal of achieving climate neutrality for data centres across Europe by 2030.??

Since its launch, 88 operators and 28 trade associations (representing hundreds of ICT companies) have joined, with an impressive 95% certification rate for our self-regulated initiative in its inaugural year.?

The Pact sets a roadmap towards sustainability with five ambitious targets for data centre operators:?

1. Energy efficiency: By January 1, 2025, new data centres operating in cool climates will meet an annual power usage efficiency (PUE) target of 1.3, and 1.4 for those in warm climates.??

2. 100% clean energy: By 2030, certified operators will demonstrate their use of 100% renewable energy to power data centres.?

3. Water conservation: New data centres at full capacity in cool climates that use potable water will be designed to meet a maximum water usage effectiveness (WUE) target in areas with water stress by January 1, 2025. Old data centres will meet the same target by 2040.??

4. Circular economy: By January 1, 2025, new data centres at full capacity will be designed to maximise resource efficiency and minimise waste generation.?

5. Circular Energy System: Data centre operators will explore opportunities to interconnect with district heating systems and other users of heat to conserve energy.?

A milestone to celebrate?

This summer, we are proud to celebrate a significant milestone in our journey towards sustainability. The first round of certification covers 67 operators committed to meeting the Pact's targets. Approximately 75% of the EU's data centres market, with about 4.5 GW capacity, is now covered by certified operators or those undergoing the certification process.?

Importance and the way forward?

Compared to other technological sectors, the data centre industry sets an unprecedented example of fast decarbonisation and proactive, audited self-regulation. Together with our partners at CISPE and other national trade associations, we are driving the clean tech industry forward, setting an example for others to follow.?

While new laws like the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) will make sustainability reporting mandatory for data centres, it only covers those above 500 kW capacity and sets no qualitative targets to meet.??

The Pact is a crucial initiative to give purpose to the reporting under new European laws: measuring the way towards quantifiable, impactful goals covering data centres of 50 kW and larger, and therefore reaching a much greater range of operators.????

In other words, the Pact has established a transformative level playing field for the industry, showcasing its capacity to achieve sustainability without relying on external regulation.?

And what is just as important, is its success in fostering a community dedicated to environmental sustainability within the data centre industry.??

There is no turning back from this path, and through upholding the values of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability, we can create a powerful and positive impact on our industry and the world at large.?

We invite you to explore more about these achievements and insights. In his thought leadership article published in DataCenter Dynamics today, our Chair, Michael Winterson, shares his reflections on this remarkable milestone and its implications for the future. You can read his article here.?

Best,?

The EUDCA team?