Will Soaring AC Demand in Europe Hit Data Centres?

Europe’s data centres are preparing for a hotter, more volatile climate as the continent experiences record-breaking temperatures and rising demand for cooling solutions. 

The European Environment Agency (EEA) warns that climate risks are growing faster than societal preparedness, threatening infrastructure, energy security and economic stability.

Leena Ylä-Mononen, EEA Executive Director, says: “Our new analysis shows that Europe faces urgent climate risks that are growing faster than our societal preparedness. 

“To ensure the resilience of our societies, European and national policymakers must act now to reduce climate risks both by rapid emission cuts and by strong adaptation policies and actions.”

Growing cooling demand

While 88% of US households have air conditioning (AC), the Building Service Research and Intelligence Association (BSRIA) estimates that only around 5% of UK homes have cooling solutions.

Yet searches for properties with AC in the UK have soared – Rightmove data shows searches for homes to buy with AC tripled in the past year, while rental property searches rose 74%.

For data centre operators, the challenge mirrors this residential demand surge.

AC and liquid cooling systems are already essential to maintaining optimal operating temperatures for high-density workloads, but expanding capacity in line with climate-driven demand will test both infrastructure and budgets. 

AC is highly electricity-intensive and Europe’s grid infrastructure is under strain from the twin demands of resilience upgrades and the integration of renewable energy sources.

The United States Department of Energy (USDE) reports that AC accounts for about 12% of household electricity use in the US, costing US$29bn annually and producing more than 100 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

This illustrates the energy and environmental trade-offs Europe will need to navigate as cooling adoption grows.

Technology and forecasting advancements

Climate adaptation for critical infrastructure is not limited to hardware.

The UK Met Office, which has provided the Shipping Forecast for over a century, is now enhancing its weather intelligence with AI, advanced satellite data and real-time visual outputs.

James Shapland, Head of Regulated Transport Services at the Met Office, says: “We are investing in next-generation capabilities such as advanced satellite data, innovative AI models and better ways to share vital safety information with people at sea.”

AI-powered forecasting platforms like Google’s GraphCast, ECMWF’s AIFS and Microsoft’s Aurora are delivering faster, more localised predictions. 

Professor Kirstine Dale, Chief AI Officer at the Met Office, notes: “I think we'll have traditional models running alongside AI models so that we are drawing on their combined strengths to enable hyper-localised accurate forecasts, delivered fast, when you need them.”

For data centre operators, these tools can inform proactive cooling strategies, workload scheduling and risk mitigation during heatwaves or severe weather events.

Sustainable cooling solutions

In the commercial and residential sectors, manufacturers are expanding the role of all-season comfort systems.

Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions reports that 81% of installed AC units in 10 European countries are now used either for heating or for both heating and cooling.

Its Aquarea air-to-water heat pumps offer year-round efficiency, with potential applications in smaller data facilities or edge deployments.

LG AC Technologies provides residential and commercial HVAC systems including VRF, HVRF and Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems, designed for flexible and efficient temperature management across varied building types. 

Hitachi Energy delivers water-based cooling systems for industrial and power transmission applications, with the ability to tailor systems to use tap, glycol or pure water.

These solutions underscore a growing industry emphasis on efficiency, adaptability and sustainability – essential for both residential customers and operators of mission-critical infrastructure.

Adaptation urgency

The Global Commission on Adaptation estimates that investing US$1.8tn in measures such as climate-resilient infrastructure and water resource management could yield US$7.1tn in avoided costs and benefits. 

However, UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report 2023 warns that adaptation costs for developing countries could reach US$387bn annually by 2030, far outstripping current financing levels.

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has urged a shift from planning to implementation.

“Adaptation plans must be transformed into investment plans, with new collaborative models that bring together governments, funders, development partners and civil society,” he says

For data centres, this means investing in efficient cooling, AI-driven environmental controls and resilient energy strategies to meet the twin challenges of higher temperatures and grid limitations. 

The choice will be between costly reactive measures later or proactive, sustainable adaptations today that secure operational stability in an increasingly extreme climate.