Unlocking Data Centre Flexibility for Europe’s Clean Energy Transition
Data centres are now one of Europe’s fastest-growing sources of electricity demand. But what if, instead of placing additional strain on the grid, they could actively support it?
As advances in digital technologies make it increasingly possible to shift workloads, optimise energy consumption, and integrate on-site renewables and storage, data centres are emerging as valuable sources of flexibility that could strengthen Europe’s energy resilience, accelerate decarbonisation, and enhance competitiveness. Realising this potential will depend on the right mix of market incentives, regulation, and policy measures.
Against this backdrop, CERRE will host the event “Unlocking Data Centre Flexibility for Europe’s Clean Energy Transition” on 25 March 2027, bringing together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and academics to examine the policy and regulatory choices that will shape the role of data centres in Europe’s future electricity system.
The event will mark the conclusion of CERRE’s latest research project on the topic, led by Anna Rita Bennato, CERRE Research Fellow and Loughborough University, and Kong Chyong, CERRE Research Fellow and Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Combining energy-system modelling with economic, regulatory, legal, and policy analysis, the research formulates practical recommendations while taking account of technical feasibility, operational realities, market readiness, competitiveness, and risk.
The event will be public and take place in a hybrid format.