Hyperscale data centers in Europe : infrastructure, sustainability, and strategic importance
Abdi, Faezeh (2025)
Diplomityö
2025
School of Engineering Science, Tietotekniikka
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20251120109766
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20251120109766
Tiivistelmä
This thesis investigates the development, infrastructure, and strategic value of hyperscale data centres at Europe. It examines operational and architectural characteristics, their contribution to the European digital economy, their regulation, and sustainability challenges. The literature-based studies are done based on secondary evidence drawn from academic research, market research, policy reports, and large number of operator case studies.
The study indicates that FLAPD markets (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin) are densely populated with European hyperscale data centres, with new investment extending to Southern Europe and the Nordics markets. Giants such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and Meta are setting the pace in the industry with the implementation of renewable power, recovery of waste heat, and advanced cooling systems to push sustainability. Despite all these innovations, there remain significant challenges. High use of electricity and water, generation of e-waste, and distributed policy structures make digital growth and sustainable development contradictory to each other. Some potential spaces for technological growth and unbalanced regional benefits include the Google Hamina campus in Finland and the Meta Luleå factory in Sweden. The policy regimes such as the European Union's Energy Efficiency Directive, GDPR, and EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities are imposing more transparency, efficiency, and sovereignty. Geopolitical interests as broad as foreign control of cloud infrastructure has resulted in such sovereign cloud initiatives as GAIA-X. On the whole, the report says that hyperscale data centres are both a central opportunity and an urgent challenge to Europe's green and digital future. Their continued development must be balanced with green innovation, coordinated regulation, and forward planning if they are to help deliver not just technological and economic growth, but also environmental and social sustainability.
The study indicates that FLAPD markets (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin) are densely populated with European hyperscale data centres, with new investment extending to Southern Europe and the Nordics markets. Giants such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and Meta are setting the pace in the industry with the implementation of renewable power, recovery of waste heat, and advanced cooling systems to push sustainability. Despite all these innovations, there remain significant challenges. High use of electricity and water, generation of e-waste, and distributed policy structures make digital growth and sustainable development contradictory to each other. Some potential spaces for technological growth and unbalanced regional benefits include the Google Hamina campus in Finland and the Meta Luleå factory in Sweden. The policy regimes such as the European Union's Energy Efficiency Directive, GDPR, and EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities are imposing more transparency, efficiency, and sovereignty. Geopolitical interests as broad as foreign control of cloud infrastructure has resulted in such sovereign cloud initiatives as GAIA-X. On the whole, the report says that hyperscale data centres are both a central opportunity and an urgent challenge to Europe's green and digital future. Their continued development must be balanced with green innovation, coordinated regulation, and forward planning if they are to help deliver not just technological and economic growth, but also environmental and social sustainability.