The Spanish government has submitted the Memoria del análisis de impacto normativo for the draft Real Decreto on sustainability, environmental compatibility, resilience and digital sovereignty requirements for data centres to the Consejo de Estado submitted. The analysis compares a scenario with 10 gigawatts of installed data centre capacity in 2030 with a reference scenario of 1 gigawatt. According to the Memoria, the result would be a 107 per cent increase in the operation of combined-cycle power plants, a 200 per cent rise in total variable generation costs and CO2 emissions a 65 per cent increase.
The Memoria was prepared under the coordination of Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico (MITECO) together with the departments responsible for the economy and digital transformation. It stresses that the effects depend significantly on assumptions: additional renewable generation, the expansion of storage and grid connections, and the hourly demand profile of large data centres are decisive. Without complementary expansion, a sudden increase in demand could have undesirable effects on electricity prices and emissions.
The government justifies the planned requirements on the grounds that they would ensure the orderly development of digital infrastructure and avoid displacement effects for industrial, commercial and household consumers. Proposals under discussion include requirements for energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy and the provision of flexibility to smooth peak loads.
The industry has also raised strong objections. Associations and operators criticise the draft as difficult to implement and point to legal uncertainties. They warn that Spain could be put at a disadvantage as a location, and note that ongoing projects could be delayed or made more expensive by new requirements. Any statements about possible changes to the draft remain subject to further deliberation; for now, the Consejo de Estado is examining the proposal.
The political choice is therefore between closely linking the accelerated expansion of data centres to additional investment in renewables and storage, or—as the Memoria suggests—risking significant effects on prices and emissions by 2030. The government has so far given no specific timetable for the final version of the Real Decreto.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).