Data centres drive up demand for energy storage in Europe

The expansion of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and large digital services is increasing the weight of data centres in Europe's electricity system. According to a report published by ENTSO-E in May 2026, consumption associated with these facilities will grow by more than 50% between 2025 and 2030 to reach 134 TWh; the body already identifies more than 10,500 data centres of at least 50 kW in Europe and a total computing power of 12.7 GW. In Spain, announced data centre investments exceed 90 billion euros, while France is emerging as one of Europe's main growth hubs with a project pipeline of more than 10 GW of planned capacity. ENTSO-E stresses that the challenge is not only how much these facilities consume, but how quickly that demand can vary in certain locations, adding pressure to grids already strained by electrification and renewables integration. In this context, stationary storage is gaining relevance for backup power, peak management, operational continuity and grid flexibility: according to Global Market Insights, Europe's data centre energy storage market will grow from 584.9 million dollars in 2024 to a forecast 1.2 billion in 2034. The issue will be addressed at Battery & Energy Storage Tech Europe, the show Fira de Barcelona will hold on 8 and 9 September 2026, gathering more than 100 companies and some fifty experts to energise business and analyse the challenges of this strategic field.