Overview
- The federal government has adopted a national data‑centre strategy that sets targets to at least double overall capacity by 2030 and to quadruple capacity for AI and high‑performance computing.
- Mandatory reporting for centres with at least 300 kW exists but is incomplete, with 482 notifications received for 2025 against an estimated ~1,000 reportable sites, leaving large blind spots for planners.
- Authorities cannot currently say how much water data centres use in Germany because reporting covers only on‑site use, many smaller sites are exempt, some operators do not report, and the federal IT service ITZBund refused to disclose its water consumption citing security risks.
- Modern AI centres require very large amounts of electricity, cooling and network capacity and can strain grid connections, industrial land and local water supplies; the Water‑Usage‑Effectiveness metric measures on‑site cooling water per unit of energy.
- Experts urge prioritising specialised, energy‑efficient centres tied to industry, research and public services and better linking data‑centre planning to energy and water planning; EU rules on labelling and minimum efficiency are expected to add regulatory pressure.