EMEA region EMEA data centre capacity exceeds 12.1 GW as energy constraints slow growth

According to Cushman & Wakefield’s 'EMEA Data Centre H1 2026 Update', operational capacity across the region increased by more than 36% compared with the second quarter of 2024. A further 3.8 GW is under construction, while projects totalling 14.5 GW are at the planning stage. Combined, this represents a pipeline of 18.3 GW, up more than 34% year on year.

Investment is increasingly spreading beyond established hubs such as London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin. The Nordic countries and Southern Europe are attracting developers with available land and the potential to secure power supplies for large-scale projects.

However, demand continues to outstrip available capacity in many markets. Access to electricity, grid connections and permits is becoming increasingly important in determining whether projects can proceed on commercially viable timelines.

Demand continues to exceed available capacity in many countries, and the key factors determining further market growth are the ability to secure power supplies, obtain permits and ensure capacity is available within commercially realistic timeframes.
Matyas Fazekas, EMEA data centres research lead at Cushman & Wakefield

Warsaw remains Poland’s largest and most established data centre market. At the end of the second quarter of 2026, operational capacity stood at 159 MW, up 2 MW year on year. The city had 28 facilities operated by 17 companies.

The construction pipeline remains limited, however, with just 5 MW of new capacity under construction, down from 11 MW a year earlier. A further 156 MW is planned, while projects totalling 68 MW remain at an early stage of preparation. Including operational, construction and planned capacity, Warsaw’s total pipeline stands at 320 MW.

Colocation facilities, which provide infrastructure to multiple customers, account for 84% of Warsaw’s operational capacity. The vacancy rate in this segment stood at 11.49%.

Demand is being driven by cloud computing, the digitalisation of businesses and public administration, and growing requirements for data security and local processing. The main obstacle to further expansion is access to electricity, with limited grid capacity around Warsaw, energy costs and connection requirements potentially delaying projects.

Investment potential alone is not enough. The ability to secure power, obtain a predictable grid connection schedule and prepare suitable sites are becoming critical.
Kamil Żach, partner at Cushman & Wakefield.

According to Żach, customers are increasingly asking not only about location but also whether large amounts of power can be delivered by a specific date, such as 2028.

Growing demand for AI infrastructure could accelerate development beyond Warsaw. The largest projects require extensive industrial sites and power supplies measured in gigawatts. Their delivery will depend on securing customers and financing, as well as access to suitable energy infrastructure.

The established FLAPD markets — Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin — still account for approximately 43% of EMEA’s operational data centre capacity, representing 5.2 GW, alongside 1.17 GW under construction. London remains the region’s largest market, with 1.38 GW of operational capacity and projects totalling approximately 1.77 GW in the pipeline. Paris has overtaken Dublin in total capacity, while Helsinki has joined the group of so-called Powerhouse markets, with more than 1.1 GW of operational, construction and planned capacity combined.

The Nordic countries now have approximately 2.1 GW of operational capacity, up 20% year on year, with more than 3 GW of planned projects. Investors are also showing growing interest in Madrid, Oslo, Barcelona and Zaragoza, where land availability and prospects for securing power support large-scale developments.

Despite concerns about a potential AI investment bubble, Cushman & Wakefield considers the risk of oversupply across EMEA to be limited. Vacancy rates remain below 10% at most operational facilities, while many new developments secure tenants before construction is complete.

For Poland, further market growth will depend largely on expanding energy infrastructure and providing reliable grid connections within predictable timeframes. Warsaw is expected to remain the country’s main data centre hub, but rising demand for AI infrastructure could accelerate development in other parts of the country.