Does the EU set a PUE limit for data centres?

No, not yet. The Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 require data centres with 500 kW or more of installed IT power to report energy use, PUE, water use and renewable share to an EU database each year. The EU A–G rating label (Delegated Regulation C(2026) 3472) was adopted by the Commission on 21 Sep 2026 and is in a two-month scrutiny period; it grades sites but sets no minimum. A consultation on minimum performance standards runs to 14 Dec 2026.

Which countries have the strictest data-centre efficiency rules?

Germany, by a distance. Germany's Energy Efficiency Act caps PUE at 1.2 for new data centres (from July 2026), 1.5 for existing ones from July 2027 and 1.3 from July 2030, with heat-reuse and renewable quotas. Of the 10 countries in our table, only Germany caps efficiency; Ireland sets power conditions on new connections; Denmark, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden rely on reporting, heat or tax rules; Finland and United Kingdom have only proposals or voluntary schemes (as of 2026-10-11).

What do data centres in Ireland have to meet?

Ireland has no PUE cap. Its binding rule is a grid-connection condition: under the CRU's Large Energy Users decision (CRU2025236, December 2025) new data centres must bring dispatchable generation or storage matching their demand and match at least 80% of annual demand with additional Irish renewables within six years. EU reporting under the Energy Efficiency Directive applies as elsewhere.

Is EU data-centre energy data public?

Only in aggregate. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 keeps site data confidential and publishes country and EU totals. The Commission's first report (COM(2026) 500, 21 Sep 2026) covers 770 sites, about 36% of those required, with a weighted average PUE of 1.36. Germany is the exception: its national register publishes site-level data.

Europe · rules

Data-centre energy rules in Europe: who sets hard limits, who asks for reports

Name: Data centre energy efficiency rules in Europe
Creator: StackPath
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As of 2026-10-11, EU law makes data centres of 500 kW or more report energy, water and renewables yearly but sets no efficiency limit; its A–G label, adopted 21 September 2026, is not yet in force. Of 10 countries checked, only Germany and Ireland set binding thresholds. Germany caps PUE at 1.2 for new sites from July 2026; Ireland requires own power and 80% renewables instead. Sources: EUR-Lex, national law.

Updated 11 October 2026 · data build 2026-10-10 · how we know · corrections

Only Germany caps efficiency in law; Ireland sets power conditions instead

Binding rules (in force, or adopted with a date) by country, as of 2026-10-11. A hard limit is a numeric threshold a site must meet: a PUE cap or heat-reuse share ("efficiency limits"), or a renewable share or generation sized to demand ("power conditions"). The EU itself sets reporting duties and a heat-reuse duty with a feasibility opt-out, but no cap. Our classification

Countries with hard limits

Germany and Ireland

Reporting, heat or tax rules only

Denmark, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden

EU-level rules tracked

apply in all 27 member states

1.36

EU weighted average PUE

681 reporting sites, first period (COM(2026) 500)

Country	Tier	Hard limits in force or adopted	Binding rules
Germany	efficiency limits	6: efficiency limit, heat reuse, renewables	9
Ireland	power conditions	2: connection condition, renewables	2
Denmark	reporting and incentives only	–	2
France	reporting and incentives only	–	1
Netherlands	reporting and incentives only	–	1
Norway	reporting and incentives only	–	2
Spain	reporting and incentives only	–	1
Sweden	reporting and incentives only	–	2
Finland	proposals only	–	0
United Kingdom	proposals only	–	0

Source: StackPath rules table, compiled from EUR-Lex, the Commission and national law · as of 2026-10-11 · each rule's source is in the full table · Compiled by StackPath

Proposed hard limits not yet binding: European Union: Minimum performance standards for data centres (draft); Spain: Draft royal decree: 80% additional renewables, hourly matching (draft); Spain: Draft royal decree: top EU label class for energy and water (draft).

Every EU member state is also bound by the EU reporting duty. Countries not listed have no national data-centre energy rule that we could source beyond it; that is a finding to re-check, not proof of absence.

At EU level: annual reporting now, a rating label next, no efficiency cap

Reported

Rule	Threshold and scope
EU data centre database and KPI reporting (rating scheme phase 1) in force · from 2024	≥500 kW IT; annual report by 15 May covering the previous calendar year data centres ≥500 kW IT
Data centre public reporting duty in force · from 2024-05-15	installed IT power demand ≥500 kW owners/operators of data centres ≥500 kW IT (defence/civil-protection exempt)
Waste heat use by data centres >1 MW in force · from 2025-10-11	total rated energy input >1 MW data centres with total rated energy input >1 MW
Energy management system / energy audit in force · from 2025-10-11	>85 TJ/yr energy use → energy management system; >10 TJ/yr → energy audit all enterprises, including data centre operators, above the consumption thresholds
Member State confirmation that reporting is complete adopted, not yet applying · from 2026	confirmation by 15 Aug each year Member States (national reporting completeness)
EU data centre sustainability rating label (A-G) adopted, not yet applying · from 2027-08-15	PUE A ≤1.15, B ≤1.25, C ≤1.35, D ≤1.5, E ≤1.7, F ≤1.9, G >1.9; WUE A ≤0.1, B ≤0.2, C ≤0.4, D ≤0.6, E ≤0.8, F ≤1.0, G >1.0 data centres ≥500 kW IT (labels generated from data already reported)
Minimum performance standards for data centres draft · from not set	not set; the Commission report cites PUE 1.5 and WUE 0.4 as recommended baselines new or retrofitted EU data centres, with a timeframe for existing sites (indicative)

Rating scheme: adopted by the Commission, not yet in force. On 21 Sep 2026 the Commission adopted Delegated Regulation C(2026) 3472, which sets the EU A–G data-centre label (energy class from PUE: A ≤1.15 to G >1.9; water class from WUE). Its press release (IP/26/1667) says it 'proposed' the scheme, but the same release and the Commission's report COM(2026) 500 call it adopted. It now sits in a two-month scrutiny period in which Parliament or Council can object but not amend; it enters into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal. First labels are due by 15 Aug 2027. Law-firm notes calling it a proposal echo the press-release wording. eur-lex.europa.eu, 21 Sep 2026.

What the EU has published so far is aggregate only. The Commission's report COM(2026) 500 counts 770 data centres in the first reporting period, about 36% of those required to report; weighted average PUE 1.36 (681 sites), WUE 0.58 litres/kWh, renewable energy factor 0.86, and about 1.8% of waste heat reused (67 sites). Six member states reported no sites. eur-lex.europa.eu, 21 Sep 2026.

For what this means in Ireland, see the Energy Efficiency Directive and Irish data centres.

Germany is the only country with PUE caps in law, and most registered sites already pass the 2027 one

Reported

The Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG, 2023) requires new data centres of 300 kW or more that start operating from 1 Jul 2026 to reach a PUE of 1.2 within two years and reuse 10–20% of their energy; existing sites must reach 1.5 by July 2027 and 1.3 by July 2030, and all must buy 100% renewable electricity on a balance-sheet basis from 2027. The federal register went public on 14 Aug 2026. The Umweltbundesamt's first analysis (21 Sep 2026) found about 70% of the 319 sites with data already meet PUE 1.5, about 40% meet 1.3 and about 80% report 100% renewable electricity, with average utilisation of about 35% of connected capacity and weak data quality.

Source: Umweltbundesamt analysis of the data-centre register (21 Sep 2026); EnEfG §11 · as of 2026-09-21 · Compiled by StackPath

Every rule, with threshold and source

Filter by type of rule. Reported

Where and what	Threshold, scope, date and source
European Union EU data centre database and KPI reporting (rating scheme phase 1) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 in force	≥500 kW IT; annual report by 15 May covering the previous calendar year Applies to: data centres ≥500 kW IT · from 2024 Operators report KPIs (energy, IT energy, water, waste heat, renewables etc.) by 15 Sep 2024, then 15 May 2025 and every year after, either via a national scheme or straight to the EU database. Data is published only in aggregate at Member State and EU level (Art 5, Annex IV); individual site data is confidential. eur-lex.europa.eu, 2024-03-14 Adopted 14 Mar 2024, published in OJ 17 May 2024, in force 20 days later (about 6 Jun 2024, my calculation). C(2026)3472 amends it, e.g. Member States must confirm by 15 Aug each year from 2026 that reporting is complete.
European Union Data centre public reporting duty Directive (EU) 2023/1791 (EED recast), Art 12(1)-(3) + Annex VII in force	installed IT power demand ≥500 kW Applies to: owners/operators of data centres ≥500 kW IT (defence/civil-protection exempt) · from 2024-05-15 By 15 May 2024 and every year after, Member States must require operators to make the Annex VII information public. The Commission keeps a European database that is public only in aggregate (Art 12(3)). Art 12(4) only encourages sites ≥1 MW to follow the EU Code of Conduct. eur-lex.europa.eu, 2023-09-13 General transposition deadline 11 Oct 2025 (Art 36). Spain's MITECO says its transposition is still in progress.
European Union Waste heat use by data centres >1 MW Directive (EU) 2023/1791, Art 26(6) in force	total rated energy input >1 MW Applies to: data centres with total rated energy input >1 MW · from 2025-10-11 Member States must ensure these data centres use their waste heat or other waste-heat recovery, unless they show it is not technically or economically feasible under the Art 26(7) assessment. eur-lex.europa.eu, 2023-09-13 Applies through national transposition (deadline 11 Oct 2025). Threshold is total rated energy input, not IT load. Sweden is still at proposal stage (see SE row).
European Union Energy management system / energy audit Directive (EU) 2023/1791, Art 11(1)-(2) in force	>85 TJ/yr energy use → energy management system; >10 TJ/yr → energy audit Applies to: all enterprises, including data centre operators, above the consumption thresholds · from 2025-10-11 Enterprises using more than 85 TJ a year on average over three years must run an energy management system; those above 10 TJ without one must have an energy audit. eur-lex.europa.eu, 2023-09-13 Not specific to data centres. Category is nearest fit. inForce is the transposition deadline (my reading of Art 36).
European Union Member State confirmation that reporting is complete C(2026) 3472, Art 5(2)(a) amending Reg. 2024/1364 Art 3 adopted, not yet applying	confirmation by 15 Aug each year Applies to: Member States (national reporting completeness) · from 2026 Member States must say by 15 Aug each year whether data centre reporting in their territory is complete. If they don't, labels stay valid until reporting is complete, and at the latest until 31 Dec. eur-lex.europa.eu, 2026-09-21 The text says 'in 2026 and every year thereafter', but the act is not in force until after scrutiny, so it may in practice start in 2027.
European Union EU data centre sustainability rating label (A-G) Commission Delegated Regulation C(2026) 3472 final, supplementing Directive 2023/1791 and amending 2024/1364 adopted, not yet applying	PUE A ≤1.15, B ≤1.25, C ≤1.35, D ≤1.5, E ≤1.7, F ≤1.9, G >1.9; WUE A ≤0.1, B ≤0.2, C ≤0.4, D ≤0.6, E ≤0.8, F ≤1.0, G >1.0 Applies to: data centres ≥500 kW IT (labels generated from data already reported) · from 2027-08-15 Labels are generated automatically each year from 15 Aug 2027 and are valid one year. They show PUE and WUE classes, the low-emission energy split (renewables/nuclear by on-site, PPA, guarantee of origin, and whether from new capacity), plus grid-flexibility and waste-heat-ready flags. eur-lex.europa.eu, 2026-09-21 Adopted by the Commission 21 Sep 2026. Now in a 2-month Parliament/Council scrutiny period and enters into force 20 days after OJ publication. Press release IP/26/1667 says 'proposed' but also 'delegated act adopted by the Commission'; COM(2026)500 says 'has been adopted'.
European Union Minimum performance standards for data centres Call for evidence and public consultation (Have your say initiative 19293); EED Art 12(5) draft · hard limit	not set; the Commission report cites PUE 1.5 and WUE 0.4 as recommended baselines Applies to: new or retrofitted EU data centres, with a timeframe for existing sites (indicative) · from not set Consultation on minimum standards for energy efficiency, water use, waste-heat reuse and grid services, possibly as PUE/WUE/REF thresholds. Closes 14 Dec 2026; an impact assessment follows. ec.europa.eu, 2026-09-21 No legal text yet. Details come from IP/26/1667 and COM(2026)500. I did not fetch the Have your say page itself.
Denmark Surplus-heat price cap abolished (cost-based pricing instead) Heat Supply Act (varmeforsyningsloven); political agreement of 17 Jan 2025 in force	fixed price ceiling removed; price must not exceed necessary costs Applies to: data centres selling surplus heat to district heating · from 2025-07-01 The fixed upper limit on surplus-heat prices was abolished on 1 Jul 2025. Surplus heat a data centre supplies directly is outside the Act's price regulation, but heat from heat pumps that raise its temperature is covered. ens.dk, 2026-10-11 An internal note says Denmark abolished its surplus-heat tax for certified businesses in Jan 2022; not checked today.
Denmark Surplus heat cost-benefit analysis for data centres >1 MW Danish transposition of EED Art 26 (Danish Energy Agency rules) in force	>1 MW Applies to: data centres >1 MW being built or substantially renovated · from 2025-10-11 Before building or a major renovation, data centres over 1 MW must prepare a cost-benefit analysis of using their surplus heat (e.g. in district heating). The Danish Energy Agency must approve it before a surplus-heat project can be applied for. ens.dk, 2026-10-11 Exact legal instrument (bekendtgørelse number) not identified. sourceDate is the date I accessed the page.
Finland Data centres moved from electricity tax class II to class I Government bill HE 156/2025 amending the Act on Excise Duty on Electricity and Certain Fuels (1260/1996) proposed	class II 0.05 c/kWh → class I 2.24 c/kWh Applies to: data centres · from 2026-07-01 Moves data-centre electricity from tax class II to the general class I from 1 Jul 2026 (bill submitted 23 Oct 2025); a replacement subsidy scheme was planned for autumn 2026. valtioneuvosto.fi, 2025-10-23 Final vote not confirmed in this check (Finlex not read). The April 2025 consultation draft had 1 Jan 2026.
France Reduced electricity excise for data centres, subject to eco-conditions Code des impositions sur les biens et services, art. L.312-70 (and L.312-64); finance bill 2026 art. 18 in force	consumption above 1 GWh/yr; eco-conditionality criteria (energy management, good-practice code) Applies to: data centres · from 2019 Data centres get a reduced electricity excise above 1 GWh a year if they meet eco-conditionality criteria. The 2026 finance bill (art. 18) proposed raising the data-centre rate to EUR 10/MWh; Senate amendments to soften it were rejected on 26 Nov 2025. senat.fr, 2025-11-26 Rates conflict across sources (EUR 0.5, 10 and 12/MWh cited); the final 2026 finance law and the exact conditions (ISO 50001, EU Code of Conduct, proposed PUE/WUE limits per Uptime Institute) were not read in the statute. 2019 start is from Uptime Institute (unchecked).
Germany Renewable electricity 50% EnEfG 2023, §11(5) in force · hard limit	50% renewable electricity (balance-sheet basis) Applies to: data centre operators (≥300 kW) · from 2024-01-01 From 1 Jan 2024 operators must cover 50% of data centre electricity with renewable electricity on a balance-sheet basis. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13
Germany Customer energy-use disclosure (colocation) EnEfG 2023, §15 in force	annual per-customer energy use Applies to: data centres serving third-party customers · from 2024-01-01 Operators must tell each customer once a year how much energy is directly attributable to that customer. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13
Germany Annual information duty and federal data centre register EnEfG 2023, §13-§14 + Anlage 3 in force	annual by 31 March (previous year); first reports 15 May 2024 (≥500 kW) and 1 Jul 2025 (smaller sites) Applies to: data centres ≥300 kW · from 2024-05-15 Operators publish and send to the federal government: size, postcode, connected load, electricity use, renewable share, waste heat, PUE, reuse share, WUE and more. The federal register passes this to the EU database and went public on 14 Aug 2026. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13 §20(2) as summarised says '200 to under 500 kW' for the second wave, which does not match the 300 kW definition; I did not check the exact wording. Launch date 14 Aug 2026 from UBA.
Germany Energy/environmental management system + certification EnEfG 2023, §12 in force	management system by 1 Jul 2025; validation/certification from 1 Jan 2026 at ≥1 MW non-redundant (≥300 kW public); IT operators ≥500 kW (300 kW public) Applies to: data centre operators and IT operators · from 2025-07-01 Operators must run an energy or environmental management system with continuous metering of key components and improvement measures. Validation or certification is required from 2026 above the thresholds. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13 Exempt if the site feeds ≥50% of reused energy into a heat network and uses ≤7.5 GWh a year; also exempt if closing before 1 Jul 2027.
Germany PUE limit for new data centres EnEfG 2023, §11(2) Nr. 1 in force · hard limit	PUE ≤1.2 Applies to: data centres ≥300 kW starting operation from 1 Jul 2026 · from 2026-07-01 New data centres must permanently reach an annual-average PUE of 1.2 or better, at the latest two years after commissioning. Electricity used only to upgrade waste heat is excluded. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13 Start date of 1 Jul 2026 confirmed.
Germany Energy reuse share (ERF) for new data centres EnEfG 2023, §11(2)-(3) in force · hard limit	reused energy (DIN EN 50600-4-6) ≥10% (starting from 1 Jul 2026), ≥15% (from 1 Jul 2027), ≥20% (from 1 Jul 2028) Applies to: data centres ≥300 kW starting operation from 1 Jul 2026 · from 2026-07-01 New sites must reach the reuse share within two years of commissioning. Exempt if: a later event outside the operator's control lowers the share; there is an agreement with a municipality or heat-network operator to comply within ten years; or a nearby heat network declines a cost-based offer within six months. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13 The 15% and 20% steps apply by commissioning date, not as a rising target for one site.
Germany Renewable electricity 100% EnEfG 2023, §11(5) adopted, not yet applying · hard limit	100% renewable electricity (balance-sheet basis) Applies to: data centre operators (≥300 kW) · from 2027-01-01 From 1 Jan 2027 data centre electricity must be 100% covered by renewable electricity on a balance-sheet basis. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13 UBA (21 Sep 2026): about 80% of listed sites already report 100%.
Germany PUE limit for existing data centres (2027) Energieeffizienzgesetz (EnEfG) 2023, §11(1) Nr. 1 adopted, not yet applying · hard limit	PUE ≤1.5 (annual average) Applies to: data centres ≥300 kW non-redundant nominal connected load that started operating before 1 Jul 2026 · from 2027-07-01 Existing data centres must permanently reach an annual-average PUE of 1.5 or better from 1 Jul 2027. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13 300 kW threshold is from §3 Nr. 24. Fines up to €100,000 (§19(2)). gesetze-im-internet shows no amendment line; I could not confirm whether 2025/26 amendments are planned.
Germany PUE limit for existing data centres (2030) EnEfG 2023, §11(1) Nr. 2 adopted, not yet applying · hard limit	PUE ≤1.3 (annual average) Applies to: data centres ≥300 kW that started operating before 1 Jul 2026 · from 2030-07-01 From 1 Jul 2030 existing data centres must reach an annual-average PUE of 1.3 or better. gesetze-im-internet.de, 2023-11-13 UBA (21 Sep 2026): about 40% of register sites already meet 1.3.
Ireland Government principles for sustainable data centre development Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy (Jul 2022) voluntary	non-binding preferences (renewables additionality, grid efficiency, co-location with renewables/storage, decarbonised by design) Applies to: new data centre developments (guides energy, enterprise and planning decisions) · from 2022-07 The Government states a preference for developments that use the grid efficiently, show additional renewables in Ireland, co-locate with renewables or storage, and have a net-zero pathway. It supports waste-heat use (e.g. Tallaght District Heating). enterprise.gov.ie, 2022-07 Policy preference, not a legal requirement. I found no updated statement. LEAP (13 Jan 2026) on enterprise.gov.ie sets no data-centre conditions. Ireland's EED Art 12 transposition: unchecked.
Ireland Data centre connection: on-site/local generation or storage matching demand CRU2025236 Large Energy User connection policy decision in force · hard limit	generation and/or storage capacity matching the requested maximum import demand Applies to: new data centre grid connections · from 2025-12-12 New data centres must provide on-site or nearby generation and/or storage matching their requested maximum import. It must take part in the wholesale electricity market to support system adequacy. System operators were to publish the connection process by 31 Mar 2026. cru.ie, 2025-12-12 The CRU page says 'storage capacity', not 'dispatchable'. Decision PDF: https://cruie-live-96ca64acab2247eca8a850a7e54b-5b34f62.divio-media.com/documents/CRU2025236_Large_Energy_User_connection_policy_decision_paper.pdf (not read in full).
Ireland Data centre connection: 80% additional renewables CRU2025236 Large Energy User connection policy decision in force · hard limit	≥80% of annual demand from additional renewables generating in the Republic of Ireland; 6-year glide path Applies to: new data centre grid connections · from 2025-12-12 Developers must present a credible plan to EirGrid/ESB Networks for new renewable projects in Ireland covering at least 80% of annual demand, with six years for them to start generating. Capacity under REFIT, RESS or ORESS does not count. cru.ie, 2025-12-12 Annual matching, not hourly. PPAs are not mentioned on the news page.
Netherlands Amsterdam: residual heat use compulsory; PUE below 1.2 (draft) Amsterdam data-centre location policy 2020-2030 (adopted 17 Dec 2020) in force	heat-network connection at plot boundary; draft PUE <1.2 Applies to: new data centres in Amsterdam · from 2020-12-17 Residual heat use is compulsory and new sites need a technical connection at the plot boundary; a PUE below 1.2 was set in draft. The Dutch minister said no national PUE requirement would be set for now. stibbe.com, 2021-08-26 Municipal, not national. Law-firm summary (2021); whether the PUE draft was adopted in the later umbrella zoning plan is unchecked, so the PUE part is not counted as a hard limit.
Norway Data centres pay the general electricity tax (reduced rate withdrawn) Norwegian electricity tax (reduced rate withdrawn 2023) in force	general rate (≈1.3 euro cents/kWh) Applies to: data centres · from 2023 Norway withdrew the reduced electricity tax for data centres in 2023; they now pay the general rate. ibfd.org, 2025-08-20 Secondary source.
Norway Data centre registration duty Electronic Communications Act (ekomloven), Nkom registration in force	subscribed electrical power above a threshold (value not stated on page), or providing data centre services for payment Applies to: data centre operators · from 2025-01 Operators must register electronically with Nkom before operating. It is a registration duty, not a licence, and is used for supervision and the sector fee. No energy or heat requirements. nkom.no, 2026-10-11 An internal note says the threshold is 0.5 MW; unchecked today. sourceDate is the date I accessed the page.
Norway Stricter surplus heat requirements for data centres (Energy Act) Proposed amendments to the Energy Act (energiloven), out for consultation draft	not stated Applies to: data centres · from not set A Storting committee recommendation notes the government has consulted on Energy Act amendments on surplus heat with stricter requirements for data centres. The committee also asked the government to assess data centres' social benefit, and several parties want a national concession system studied by end-2026. stortinget.no, 2026-02-24 Consultation text and thresholds not seen (regjeringen.no returned 403). The 'energiutredning' >2 MW rule is unchecked.
Spain EED data centre reporting via ReportENER Directive 2023/1791 Art 12 + Reg. 2024/1364 (Spanish transposition in progress) in force	IT ≥500 kW; 15 May yearly Applies to: data centres ≥500 kW IT · from 2024-09-15 MITECO tells operators to register with ReportENER and report KPIs to the EU database by 15 Sep 2024 and then 15 May each year. miteco.gob.es, 2026-10-11 MITECO says national transposition of the EED is still in progress. sourceDate is the date I accessed the page.
Spain Draft royal decree: 80% additional renewables, hourly matching Draft Real Decreto on data centres (urgent processing approved by the Council of Ministers 25 Aug 2026) draft · hard limit	≥80% renewable, matched every hour; 1 MW of new renewables per new MW, commissioned ≤18 months before operation Applies to: data centres ≥1 MW · from not set Compliance is tested to obtain or keep grid access; non-compliance can mean higher charges and loss of access. Projects already in permitting get six months to comply. The 80% may be revised once renewables pass 90% of Spain's mix. pv-magazine.com, 2026-08-26 Secondary source (pv magazine). MITECO confirms the draft and its hearings (prior consultation 1-19 Jul 2024; hearing 8 Aug-15 Sep 2025; second hearing 27 Aug-10 Sep 2026) but its page does not describe the renewable terms. Draft also has EU-establishment and data-location rules.
Spain Draft royal decree: top EU label class for energy and water Draft Real Decreto on data centres draft · hard limit	Category A for PUE and WUE under the EU rating scheme (once it applies) Applies to: data centres ≥1 MW · from not set Instead of national PUE/WUE limits, the draft requires the highest EU label class for energy and water efficiency (PUE ≤1.15 and WUE ≤0.1 under C(2026)3472). pv-magazine.com, 2026-08-26 Secondary source. Linking 'Category A' to the C(2026)3472 thresholds is my inference.
Sweden Data centres pay the general electricity tax (reduced rate withdrawn) Swedish energy tax law (reduced rate withdrawn mid-2023) in force	data centres now pay the general rate (≈4.0 euro cents/kWh in 2025) Applies to: data centres · from 2023 Sweden applied the EU-minimum electricity tax to data centres from 2017 and removed the reduced rate from mid-2023. ibfd.org, 2025-08-20 Secondary source (IBFD, EU Tax Focus); primary Skatteverket text not checked.
Sweden Data centre energy performance disclosure Act (2025:570) on disclosure of information on the energy performance of data centres in force	installed IT power demand ≥500 kW; notify the Energy Agency by 27 Apr 2026; report by 15 May 2026 Applies to: data centres ≥500 kW IT (security-sensitive sites exempt) · from 2025-07-01 Transposes EED Art 12. Operators notify Energimyndigheten and report 2025 data to the EU database. Individual data is confidential under the Secrecy Act; only aggregates are published. energimyndigheten.se, 2026-10-11 sourceDate is the date I accessed the page.
Sweden Waste heat use for data centres >1 MW Proposed amendment to Act (2013:268) (EED Art 26(6) transposition) proposed	total energy supply >1 MW Applies to: data centres >1 MW · from not set Would require data centres above 1 MW to use waste heat or other recovery unless shown technically or economically infeasible. Consultation ran until 4 Nov 2025. energimyndigheten.se, 2026-10-11 Whether it has since been enacted: unchecked.
United Kingdom Climate Change Agreement for data centres (energy improvement target) Climate Change Agreements scheme, target periods 7-9 (DESNZ; administered by techUK) voluntary	14.5% energy improvement vs 2022 baseline by end-2030 Applies to: data centres that join the scheme · from 2026-01-01 Sites in the voluntary scheme get reduced Climate Change Levy rates in return for meeting the sector target; the extended scheme runs to 31 Dec 2030, first target period from 1 Jan 2026. techuk.org, 2025-10-16 The levy-discount link is from techUK's CCA pages (search summary); the 2025-10-16 page gives only the target.
United Kingdom Data centre grid connection reforms Ofgem consultation 'Proposed data centre connection reforms' proposed	commitment fee from accepting an offer until connection; queue milestones (credible end user, long-lead equipment, financial/technical capability) Applies to: data centre demand connections · from not set Published 29 Jul 2026 and closed in mid-Sep 2026, awaiting decision. No efficiency, flexibility or renewable conditions are proposed. ofgem.gov.uk, 2026-07-29 Page lists the closing date as 17 Sep 2026 (one reading says 16 Sep). jurisdiction 'GB' is the ISO code for the UK. CCA PUE targets and AI Growth Zones are unchecked. CNI designation (12 Sep 2024) carries no energy duties.

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Source: Row sources as linked · as of 2026-10-11 · Compiled by StackPath

Compiled by hand from EUR-Lex, the Commission, national legislation, regulators and law-firm summaries read on 11 Oct 2026; secondary sources are flagged in each row's note. Not yet researched or not verified: Austria, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Switzerland and Iceland national rules; national transpositions of EED Articles 12 and 26 outside Germany, Spain, Sweden and Denmark. 'Hard' marks a binding numeric threshold a site must meet (PUE cap, heat-reuse share, renewable share, generation sized to demand). Reporting duties, tax conditions and voluntary schemes are not counted as hard.

Our reading. Two models are emerging. Germany writes efficiency into law, with PUE caps, renewable shares and heat-reuse quotas per site. Ireland instead conditions the grid connection, asking new sites to bring their own power and renewables but setting no efficiency number. Most other countries rely on the EU's reporting duty, which publishes only aggregates, so a site's performance stays private until the EU's A–G labels arrive. For Irish detail see the CRU's Large Energy Users decision.

Questions people ask

Does the EU set a PUE limit for data centres?: No, not yet. The Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 require data centres with 500 kW or more of installed IT power to report energy use, PUE, water use and renewable share to an EU database each year. The EU A–G rating label (Delegated Regulation C(2026) 3472) was adopted by the Commission on 21 Sep 2026 and is in a two-month scrutiny period; it grades sites but sets no minimum. A consultation on minimum performance standards runs to 14 Dec 2026.
Which countries have the strictest data-centre efficiency rules?: Germany, by a distance. Germany's Energy Efficiency Act caps PUE at 1.2 for new data centres (from July 2026), 1.5 for existing ones from July 2027 and 1.3 from July 2030, with heat-reuse and renewable quotas. Of the 10 countries in our table, only Germany caps efficiency; Ireland sets power conditions on new connections; Denmark, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden rely on reporting, heat or tax rules; Finland and United Kingdom have only proposals or voluntary schemes (as of 2026-10-11).
What do data centres in Ireland have to meet?: Ireland has no PUE cap. Its binding rule is a grid-connection condition: under the CRU's Large Energy Users decision (CRU2025236, December 2025) new data centres must bring dispatchable generation or storage matching their demand and match at least 80% of annual demand with additional Irish renewables within six years. EU reporting under the Energy Efficiency Directive applies as elsewhere.
Is EU data-centre energy data public?: Only in aggregate. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 keeps site data confidential and publishes country and EU totals. The Commission's first report (COM(2026) 500, 21 Sep 2026) covers 770 sites, about 36% of those required, with a weighted average PUE of 1.36. Germany is the exception: its national register publishes site-level data.