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Poor Grid Planning Threatens Europe’s Data Centre Hubs, Ember Report Warns

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Europe’s top data centre locations, including Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin, risk losing their dominance unless governments improve long-term grid planning, according to a new report released Thursday by energy think-tank Ember.

The surge in demand for data centres, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its energy-intensive computing needs, is shifting investment priorities. Developers are increasingly choosing locations with faster and easier access to electricity, rather than remaining loyal to traditional hubs plagued by long grid connection delays.

The report warns that by 2035, up to 50% of Europe’s data centre capacity could relocate outside the current main hubs. This could divert billions of euros in economic activity to emerging markets, with significant implications for GDP and job creation. For example, data centres in Germany generated €10.4 billion in GDP in 2024 — a figure expected to more than double by 2029. Losing momentum in such a high-growth sector could harm economic prospects in these countries.

While France is likely to retain investment due to a relatively unconstrained grid, others could suffer delays of up to 13 years in connecting new data centres. The average wait time in the legacy hubs is 7–10 years, compared to only 3 years in Italy and even less in some emerging regions.

“Grids are ultimately deciding where investments go,” said Elisabeth Cremona, Senior Energy Analyst at Ember. “If Europe wants to maintain its competitiveness and achieve economic growth, it must prioritise grid development.”

She emphasized that the issue extends beyond data centres to all sectors undergoing electrification. Without updated grid infrastructure, industries could struggle to scale or relocate entirely to regions with faster energy access.

Electricity demand from data centres is projected to triple in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark by 2030, and increase three- to fivefold in Austria, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Slovakia by 2035.

The findings highlight an urgent need for European policymakers to treat grid planning as a strategic investment tool, not just a utility service, in order to retain tech-sector leadership and support industrial transformation.

Deutsche Telekom and Nvidia Team Up to Build AI Cloud for European Manufacturers in Germany

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Deutsche Telekom and Nvidia announced a strategic partnership on Friday to create an artificial intelligence cloud tailored for European manufacturers, based in Germany. Nvidia will provide 10,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) to be integrated into Deutsche Telekom’s existing data centers as part of this initiative.

The project aims for implementation by 2026 and represents a critical step toward building large-scale data centers, which are key to Germany’s push to modernize its industrial sector. This move also aligns with the European Union’s broader goal to close the AI infrastructure gap with global competitors like the U.S. and China.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed plans for the AI cloud platform in Germany earlier this week and announced Deutsche Telekom’s participation during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Merz emphasized the significance of investments in AI infrastructure for Germany’s innovation and economic future, praising Nvidia and its partners’ commitment. He described the partnership as a vital step for strengthening Germany’s digital sovereignty.

GPUs have become essential for advancing AI capabilities. Under Chancellor Merz’s leadership, Germany plans to develop large data centers supported by state subsidies covering 35% of costs, while the industry is expected to cover the remaining 65%. The government aims to secure up to 100,000 GPUs to meet growing AI demands.

Earlier this year, the European Commission unveiled a $20 billion funding plan to accelerate AI data center construction across Europe.

Deutsche Telekom recently announced collaborations with companies like SAP, web hosting firm Ionos, and retailer Schwarz to seek EU support for building large data centers in Germany.

Nvidia is also working with European AI company Mistral to develop AI computing platforms powered by 18,000 Nvidia GPUs to serve European businesses.

Nvidia to Build Germany’s First Industrial AI Cloud, Boosting Europe’s AI Infrastructure

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Nvidia announced plans to develop its first artificial intelligence cloud platform for industrial applications in Germany, CEO Jensen Huang said Wednesday at the VivaTech conference in Paris. The AI cloud will combine artificial intelligence with robotics to support automotive giants like BMW and Mercedes-Benz in tasks ranging from product design simulation to logistics management.

Huang also detailed a broader Europe-focused strategy including expanding Nvidia technology centers across seven countries, launching a compute marketplace for European companies, and advancing AI models in multiple languages. The company is supporting drug discovery efforts with partners like Novo Nordisk.

“In just two years, we will increase the amount of AI computing capacity in Europe by a factor of 10,” Huang declared during his nearly two-hour presentation.

Europe is embracing the concept of “AI factories,” large-scale infrastructures dedicated to AI model development, training, and deployment. Huang announced plans for 20 such AI factories across the continent.

Huang is scheduled to visit Berlin Friday and is expected to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, signaling political support for the initiative.

Though specifics about the plant’s location, cost, and construction timeline were not disclosed, the move could be a win for Germany’s ruling coalition following recent setbacks with Intel and Wolfspeed suspending factory plans.

While Europe trails the U.S. and China in AI development, the European Commission revealed a $20 billion investment plan to build four AI factories earlier this year.

Additionally, Nvidia is partnering with European AI startup Mistral to power AI computing using 18,000 latest Nvidia chips for European enterprises.

“Sovereign AI is an imperative—no company, industry or nation can outsource its intelligence,” Huang said.

He emphasized the importance of AI adoption to avoid falling behind globally and expressed optimism about quantum computing’s near-term impact, noting it could solve complex problems beyond even advanced AI systems.

This announcement reinforces Nvidia’s role as a global AI infrastructure leader and marks a significant step in strengthening Europe’s AI ecosystem.