EU Plans Data Centre Energy Efficiency Measures Amid AI Growth

The European Union is preparing a new package of measures to improve the energy efficiency of data centers as AI-related electricity demand surges, with data centers currently consuming about 3% of the EU's electricity and expected to grow substantially. EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen announced the forthcoming "data centre energy efficiency package" at a Brussels conference, reflecting concerns about the environmental and infrastructural impact of digital infrastructure. Industry leaders like Allan Kaye of Vesper Technologies highlight advanced cooling technologies such as immersion and direct-to-chip liquid cooling, which not only support high-power AI workloads but enable heat reuse, potentially benefiting sustainability and creating new revenue streams. This initiative aligns with the EU's broader Green Deal and 2030 climate targets, marking a shift toward regulating digital infrastructure energy use amid rising AI expansion. Meanwhile, in Uzbekistan, Data Volt is investing billions in building fully sustainable, high-density data centers powered by solar and wind energy with sophisticated cooling systems to handle intense AI workloads, showcasing a model for green digital infrastructure. These developments underscore a global push to address the growing carbon footprint of AI and data center operations through innovation and regulation.