As Europe attempts to accelerate its decarbonization, a new concern is rising: the rise of data centers could reopen the door to fossil fuels. According to projections from the Shift Project, the electricity consumption of these infrastructures could double by 2030 and triple by 2035, reaching nearly 370 terawatt hours. This staggering figure places the digital industry at the center of an energy dilemma. Behind the promises of artificial intelligence and the cloud are warehouses filled with servers that must be continuously powered. The think tank's report, published on October 1, is unequivocal: if nothing changes, the current trajectory of data centers is incompatible with European climate objectives. And warnings are multiplying. The International Energy Agency had already warned in the spring that the electricity demand of digital technology could rival that of heavy industry.
When green electricity is no longer enough
Data centers, comparable to veritable invisible power plants, exert direct pressure on electricity grids. However, renewable capacity, although increasing, is struggling to keep up with such a frenetic pace. The feared consequence: increased reliance on gas or even coal to secure power during peak demand. Several experts also warn of the risk of grid saturation, already weakened by the transition, which would force them to draw on backup fossil fuel solutions. This dynamic is all the more worrying given that some digital giants are locking in their access to renewable energy in advance through vast contracts, depriving other local players of this limited resource. In this context, the fear is that Europe, despite being committed to a policy of phasing out fossil fuels, will find itself forced to extend these terms to fuel the digital machine.
Digital sobriety or energy impasse
The Shift Project isn't just waving the red flag. It's calling for a genuine digital sobriety strategy, going far beyond technical efficiency. Optimizing codes, reducing unnecessary usage, sharing infrastructure, recycling waste heat, and directing data centers to suitable areas: these are all levers that, according to the think tank, must be activated urgently. The European Commission is preparing a system for evaluating the energy performance of data centers, scheduled for 2026. But given the timeline, many fear it will arrive too late. By then, Europe could already be behind schedule in terms of network planning and connection, to the benefit of a rapidly expanding digital sector. The challenge is not only economic but also civilizational: continuing to fuel digital growth without safeguards amounts to jeopardizing climate commitments. Behind the rise of artificial intelligence and the cloud, a stark question arises: do we really want our data centers to dictate the return of fossil fuels in Europe?
What should we quickly remember?
As Europe attempts to accelerate its decarbonization, a new concern is rising: the rise of data centers could reopen the door to renewable energies.
