Data centres could help stabilise European grids, experts say

European data centres could become an important tool for stabilising electricity grids in the coming years, not only by reducing consumption during peak periods but also by supplying electricity back to the grid from their own battery storage. Experts warn, however, that technological and operational constraints may complicate the use of this flexibility.

According to a new analysis by think tank CERRE, European data centres could offer up to 60 GW of flexible capacity by 2035—the amount by which they can reduce their consumption or briefly supply electricity to the grid.

As Stefano da Empoli, director of Italian institute I-Com, explains, data centres can limit or reschedule computing tasks without disrupting critical operations, thereby helping to stabilise the energy system.

This capability is becoming crucial as electricity consumption by data centres rises sharply. A study by think tank Ember estimates that their consumption will more than double to 236 TWh by 2035, with the largest increases expected in Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany.

Flexibility in batteries and cooling systems, and shifting computing workloads

Data centres have extensive battery systems that can be used not only as backup power sources but also to support the grid. According to Aleksandar Grbić of Hitachi Energy, these facilities have significant potential to supply electricity to the grid and to increase consumption when there is a surplus of electricity in the grid.

Another important factor is the flexibility of cooling systems, which account for a substantial share of data centres’ electricity consumption. Open Gate Italia engineer Andrea Morbelli points out that these systems can be managed to consume more energy when electricity prices are low. Research by Navius Research also shows that water-cooled systems can function much like thermal batteries, storing cooling capacity and reducing peak consumption by up to 25%.

An analysis of data by Google and Alibaba shows that around 70-90% of tasks can be shifted without significantly affecting operations, while only the remaining tasks are genuinely sensitive to delays and must be processed immediately. This opens the way to shifting computing workloads to periods when the grid is less heavily loaded.

According to the Ember study, data centres currently account for 33–42% of electricity consumption in cities such as Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt, while in Dublin the share reaches as much as 80%. The European Commission plans to triple data centre power capacity over the next 5–7 years, increasing pressure to integrate these facilities into grid management.

Challenges and risks

Experts also point to technical and operational risks. Michael Winterson, secretary general of the European Data Centre Association, warns that data centres switching to backup diesel generators in an effort to reduce grid load could paradoxically threaten their stability.

“Every time a centre switches to its own generator, there is a systemic risk that something will go wrong,” Winterson says.

The head of Italian energy company A2A, Renato Mezzoncini, also stresses that data centres have limited scope to manage their electricity consumption.

“Data centres cannot easily be fitted into the conventional mechanisms we have adopted in other sectors … essentially, they cannot always interrupt their operations,” Mezzoncini said.