POLICY · REGULATION · #2337
Germany relaxes 2023 energy-efficiency rules that would have forced data centers to reuse waste heat
The German government has amended its Energy Efficiency Act (2023) to drop a firm obligation for new data centers to reuse waste heat, replacing it with a requirement to assess feasibility; the change, due for parliamentary ratification, follows industry pushback and aims to attract AI-focused data center investment as Germany seeks to expand compute by 2030. Critics say the rollback may undermine climate goals and invite local opposition, while supporters argue it reduces barriers to build-out of AI infrastructure.
KEY POINTS
- The German government has amended its Energy Efficiency Act (2023) to drop a firm obligation for new data centers to reuse waste heat, replacing it with a requirement to assess feasibility; the change, due for parliamentary ratification, follows industry pushback and aims to attract AI-focused data center investment as Germany seeks to expand compute by 2030.
- Critics say the rollback may undermine climate goals and invite local opposition, while supporters argue it reduces barriers to build-out of AI infrastructure.
- The change shifts how Germany balances expanding AI compute capacity with climate commitments, affecting where and how data centers — key to European AI sovereignty — can be built.
WHY IT MATTERS
The change shifts how Germany balances expanding AI compute capacity with climate commitments, affecting where and how data centers — key to European AI sovereignty — can be built.