According to data from Spain DC, it is estimated that direct investment in new data center facilities in Spain will reach 8 billion euros by 2026. Cities such as Madrid, Zaragoza and Barcelona are attracting significant investments from large technology companies such as Amazon and Microsoft. This has made Spain a key point for investment in data centers, consolidating itself as the digital hub of southern Europe.
Eaton, a leading energy management company, highlights the reasons why Spain is receiving large investment in data centers and the sustainability challenges that the sector still faces, a highly debated topic due to the rise of these facilities.
“The digital transition and migration to the cloud have transformed data centers, turning them into the axis of economic growth and technological evolution for companies worldwide,” says José Antonio Afonso, Segment Manager of Eaton Iberia. “Our country, thanks to its geographical location and the acceleration of submarine cables that connect us with the rest of the world, is presented as an ideal location to attract investments in data centers.”
What makes Spain different?
Spain offers very high levels of solar reception. Due to its geographical position in the south of the continent, it receives many more hours of sunlight and with greater intensity compared to other regions, especially those in northern Europe.
This abundance of sunlight makes it easier and more profitable to use solar energy to power data centers, becoming a more economical alternative that reduces dependence on more expensive or polluting energy sources. Since data centers consume large amounts of energy, the availability of low-cost renewable energy is a key factor.
Microsoft, Oracle or Amazon, among the large companies that have already invested in the installation of data centers in our country
The combination of solar and wind resources turns Spain into a first-class energy hub, positioning it as an attractive destination for long-term investments. Additionally, the use of renewable energy reduces the carbon footprint of these operations, aligning with the sustainability goals that many technology companies are already adopting.
The great challenge of data centers: sustainability
IT companies are starting to become more conscious about the use of renewable energy in their infrastructures. Although currently half of the data centers in Spain already use renewable sources, there is still much to do to achieve full implementation throughout the territory.
The rapid growth of data centers and their need to be constantly connected brings with it significant environmental challenges. According to the Spanish Data Center Association, data centers already consume 3% of the world’s electricity. With the incorporation of modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, your energy consumption will increase considerably. In fact, the International Energy Agency estimates that by 2026 the AI industry will consume at least ten times more electricity than in 2023.
To face this challenge, there are some solutions that can help improve the energy efficiency of these infrastructures. Advanced cooling systems are a clear example. Cooling consumes a lot of energy in data centers, and technologies such as liquid cooling (using water instead of air) and adiabatic cooling (based on the evaporation of water) help improve efficiency.
The incorporation of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) prevents energy loss in the event of a power outage. In addition, software that includes artificial intelligence makes it possible to optimize energy use in real time, adapting consumption according to demand and turning off or slowing down systems when they are not necessary.
