•Colliers says power availability is reshaping EMEA data centre investment
•Data centre investment following energy infrastructure rather than traditional connectivity advantages
The fact
Power availability has become the primary constraint on data centre development across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to Colliers' latest EMEA Data Centres report. The consultancy estimates the region now has 12.5 GW of operational data centre capacity, but says future expansion is increasingly limited by electricity supply, grid connection timelines, planning delays and suitable development sites rather than customer demand.
Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin remain EMEA's dominant data centre markets, but growing pressure on power infrastructure is changing investment priorities. Developers are increasingly turning to cities such as Madrid, Milan and Lisbon, as well as the Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe, where stronger grid availability and faster permitting improve the likelihood of bringing new capacity online.
Colliers also cautions that announced projects should not be confused with deliverable capacity. Although around 78 GW of early-stage projects have been announced across EMEA, successful delivery will ultimately depend on infrastructure readiness, particularly the availability of reliable power.
The assessment
Colliers' findings reflect a broader transformation in data centre economics. For decades, Europe's leading markets competed on connectivity, customer proximity and mature digital ecosystems. AI is changing those priorities. The industry's limiting factor is no longer customer demand but the ability to secure sufficient power within commercially viable timeframes.
Investors are increasingly evaluating markets not simply by geography or land availability, but by confidence that projects can move from approval to operation. The growing gap between announced developments and deliverable capacity shows that execution now matters as much as ambition.
For BTW readers, deliverability is the new competitive metric. Where fibre connectivity once defined data centre markets, power availability now dictates where capacity gets built. Ireland and the Nordics are gaining share not because of their location but because they can deliver power faster. The question is whether legacy markets can adapt their planning processes quickly enough—or whether the EMEA data centre map is being permanently redrawn.
What to watch
Watch whether Madrid, Milan, Lisbon, the Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe convert announced projects into operational capacity faster than established hubs. Also monitor grid investment, permitting reforms and self-generation strategies, as these will increasingly determine where the next generation of AI infrastructure is built.