The association SpainDC warns that the Spanish Government's draft decree could disincentivise investments in data centres, estimated at €9 billion. Three international companies have threatened to suspend their projects if the regulation is approved.
SpainDC, the Spanish data centres association, has described the Government's draft decree to regulate these centres as a veto that could drastically affect the sector. According to information provided by the media expansion.com, Spain has shifted from being the most attractive country in Europe for establishing data centres to becoming the least attractive.
In a press conference, the president of SpainDC, Emilio Díaz, and the executive director, Begoña Villacís, reported on the risk to investments worth €9 billion. This amount is at stake following the announcement that three international companies considering projects in Spain will halt them if the decree materialises.
The new legal framework requires that data centres back up at least 80% of their energy consumption with renewable energy every hour of operation. The association has submitted objections to the decree, drafted by several ministries, including Ecological Transition and Economy.
Díaz has urged the Government to engage in dialogue about the decree, stating that the sector is unaware of its plans and that the content includes harmful measures. “From day one, we requested a meeting and were referred to the objections,” he lamented. Currently, there is no meeting scheduled between the parties.
The president of SpainDC also warned that the projects of the companies threatening to withdraw represent 15% of the total projected investments of €66.9 billion until 2030. If this new approach continues, between 80% and 90% of new investments could be at risk.
The executive director, Villacís, noted that the objections received unanimous support from over 300 members of the association, stating that “Spain cannot become the most restrictive country in Europe.”
SpainDC's concerns encompass both the economic impact and the legal aspects of the new decree, which they believe could jeopardise the country's competitiveness against other European destinations seeking to attract these investments.
The objections submitted by SpainDC question the viability of the regulation, arguing that the accumulation of requirements could constitute a veto to the sector. The association has shown outright rejection of the regulation, urging a review to avoid compromising the future of investments in the country.
You may also like
