Germany's Data Center Growth Lags Behind Global Leaders

A new study highlights Germany's declining share in global server capacity and calls for urgent investment to ensure digital sovereignty.

Germany's share of global server capacity has dropped from 3.5% a decade ago to just 2.5% today, according to a Bitkom-commissioned study.
The IT power capacity of German data centers is projected to grow from 2.7 GW in 2024 to 4.8 GW by 2030, far behind the U.S., which is expected to reach 95 GW by 2030.
The study emphasizes that data centers are critical to digital infrastructure, with Bitkom warning that insufficient growth could jeopardize Germany's digital sovereignty.
Frankfurt's DE-CIX, Europe's largest internet hub, anchors Germany's data center capacity, with significant expansion planned in the Rhein-Main region and other areas like Berlin-Brandenburg, Munich, and Hamburg.
Artificial intelligence applications are driving a surge in data center demand globally, but Germany's slower pace of development risks falling further behind the U.S. and China.