Most data centers refusing to say how much water, electricity they use
A study by Lighthouse Report reveals that most European data centers are failing to comply with EU directives requiring the disclosure of their electricity and water consumption. Despite regulations, the vast majority of facilities keep their environmental impact data secret, complicating efforts to monitor the industry's resource usage.
Why it matters
As data centers consume massive amounts of energy and water, the lack of transparency hinders climate change mitigation efforts and regulatory oversight.
Data center - Credit: gregory21 / DepositPhotos - License: DepositPhotos Business Tech Nature data center drinking water grid congestion electricity RVO Statistics Netherlands CBS European Energy Efficiency Directive Lighthouse Report Climate change global warming drought » More tags « Less tags Wednesday, 30 September 2026 - 10:30 Share this article: Opens in a new window Opens in a new window Opens in a new window Opens in a new window Opens in a new window Opens in a new window Most data centers refusing to say how much water, electricity they use The vast majority of data centers in Europe keep information about their environmental impact secret, according to a study by Lighthouse Report in collaboration with Trouw and other European media. In the Netherlands, less than a quarter of larger data centers publish data about their electricity and drinking water usage.
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