Poland Poland to benefit from data centre realignment

The EMEA region currently has 12.5 GW of operational data centre capacity, and as many as 78 GW of new projects are in the pipeline. However, their development will depend primarily on the ability to provide adequate electricity supplies.

Europe Changes Direction

The data centre market is no longer constrained by demand. Demand for new capacity remains record high and is driven by the rapid development of cloud services, the rapid growth in the use of artificial intelligence, and increasingly stringent requirements regarding data sovereignty and the location of digital infrastructure. At the same time, the largest European markets – Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin (FLAP-D) – are reaching the limits of their development. Limited access to the electricity grid, lengthening connection deadlines, complex administrative procedures, and the decreasing availability of land for new projects are becoming increasingly challenging.

These barriers are driving investors to increasingly seek alternative locations that offer not only adequate demand but, above all, access to electricity.

Energy has become a key driver for capital in this sector. Investors are no longer relying solely on demand growth, but are prioritising assets and locations where access to energy is reliable and deliverable. This accelerates capital rotation to markets capable of scaling projects, even if they have historically remained outside the mainstream.
Gonzalo Martin, head of data centres capital markets for EMEA at Colliers Spain

Poland and Central and Eastern Europe Gain Strategic Importance

With increasing restrictions in Western Europe, Central and Eastern European markets are becoming increasingly important. Poland is among the locations that could capture a significant portion of new investment thanks to greater land availability, relatively better access to energy, and the potential for large-scale projects.

One of the most spectacular projects currently planned in Europe is the Baltic Data Centre Campus, under development by Polish company WBS Power. The initial declared project capacity was 1.9 GW, but according to the investor's latest announcements, it is expected to reach up to 3.2 GW, placing the project among the largest projects of its kind in the EMEA region. For comparison, the NEOM project in Saudi Arabia plans to construct a capacity of 1.5 GW, while AI campuses with a capacity of approximately 1 GW each are planned in France, Spain, and Finland.

This large scale of investment demonstrates that Poland is no longer seen as a complementary market to Western Europe and is beginning to play a role as one of the new pillars of the European digital infrastructure.

We are seeing a clear geographic shift in the European data center market. Just a few years ago, most projects were concentrated almost exclusively around the largest hubs in Western Europe. Today, competitive advantage is built on locations where adequate connection capacity is available, and the process from agreeing terms with the grid operator to connecting is short and efficient. Poland has the potential to play a crucial role in this process.
Dariusz Chrzanowski, director of energy advisory at Colliers

Operators are Changing Their Approach to Energy

The increasing constraints of power grids are also leading to a shift in the strategies of data centre operators themselves. More and more investors are choosing to develop their own energy sources, building microgrids and energy storage systems that reduce dependence on public power grids.

At the same time, integration with renewable energy sources and waste heat recovery from data centres are becoming standard. Particularly advanced solutions in this area are being implemented in cities such as Helsinki, where heat from data centres powers municipal heating systems.

The Colliers report also highlights the development of completely new technologies. One of the most innovative directions is floating AI data centers powered by energy from offshore wind farms. The first are planned in the UK in 2028.

The Middle East is strengthening its position, but investors are becoming more selective.

Growing importance on the global map.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are also playing a key role in data centre development. State-led digitalisation strategies, the development of hyperscale infrastructure, and gigawatt-scale AI projects ensure the region remains one of the most attractive investment destinations in this area. At the same time, Colliers notes that rising geopolitical tensions are changing the way these markets are assessed. Investors are increasingly placing greater emphasis on infrastructure resilience, energy security, and the long-term sustainability of projects.

The Market Enters a New Phase
The European data centre market is becoming increasingly selective. Competitive advantage is no longer solely determined by market size or demand. The success of new investments is now primarily determined by energy availability, infrastructure readiness, and the efficiency of administrative processes.

For Poland, this represents a unique opportunity to strengthen its position as one of the most important markets for digital infrastructure development in Europe. If competitive conditions for investors are maintained and the power grid is adequately developed, the country could become one of the main beneficiaries of the new European data centre market.