Across the EMEA region, 12.5GW of operational capacity underscores the scale of the market, yet delivery constraints are intensifying in core hubs such as Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin, where grid access, planning complexity and land scarcity are limiting expansion. This is pushing operators towards alternative power strategies, including self-generation and microgrids, particularly in markets facing acute grid constraints such as Ireland, Germany and the UK.
This shift is already altering investment patterns.
Power has become the defining filter for capital in this sector. Investors are no longer simply backing demand growth, they are prioritising assets and locations where energy access is secure and deliverable. That is accelerating capital rotation into markets that can support deployment at scale, even if they historically sat outside the core,
Gonzalo Martin, head of data centres capital markets | EMEA
As a result, the centre of gravity in Europe is broadening beyond FLAP-D. Markets such as Madrid, Milan, Lisbon, the Nordics and selected Central and Eastern European locations are seeing increasing investor and operator interest, supported by relatively stronger grid access, renewable energy availability and more flexible planning frameworks.
This geographic diversification is reflected in the pipeline. London, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Helsinki and Riyadh together account for 7GW of capacity under construction and planned, illustrating both the continued importance of established hubs and the growing role of newer markets in absorbing demand.
At the same time, the supply picture remains uncertain. While 78GW of early-stage projects have been announced across EMEA, the report highlights that converting this into operational capacity will depend heavily on power availability and infrastructure readiness rather than demand fundamentals alone.
The divergence between announced capacity and deliverable supply is widening. Grid connection timelines, permitting complexity and energy requirements are now the critical variables. Markets with aligned energy infrastructure and policy clarity will capture disproportionate growth over the next cycle.
Lottie Tollman, head of data centres advisory | EMEA
Beyond Europe, the Middle East continues to strengthen its strategic position, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where state-backed digital strategies and hyperscale-ready infrastructure are driving development. However, the report notes a shift in how the region is being evaluated. Heightened geopolitical tensions are raising the threshold for new investment, moving the narrative from ‘cheap and fast’ to ‘strategic and conditional’, with greater emphasis on resilience, redundancy and long-term viability.
Taken together, these dynamics point to a more selective, infrastructure-led market. Demand remains robust, but capital is increasingly concentrated in locations where power, policy and delivery risk are aligned, marking a decisive shift in how the EMEA data centre landscape evolves.
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