Policy changes and how they will impact the build and operations of data centres across EMEA at the international, regional and national level have been addressed in a new report from The Green Grid. 

The report, Energy Policy Research & Implications For Data Centres In EMEA, comes from The Green Grid and is edited by Harkeeret Singh, The Green Grid’s EMEA Technical Chair.

It summarises the key energy policy mechanisms across 12 key EMEA countries – the UK, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates – as well as EU and international policies. The research focuses government regulatory obligations (typically mandatory); relevant voluntary mechanisms; financial incentives for investing in the country and employing low carbon technology and practices; and the policies which add financial costs typically from an energy and carbon perspective.

“As well as exceptionally challenging economic conditions, data centre operators also have to contend with a uniquely complicated regulatory environment which is constantly evolving,” said Singh.

“The report provides policy transparency across all the countries covered, and shows how operators are subject to increasingly demanding building regulations aimed towards reducing energy use and carbon output. most notably in the EU where the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) continues to strive toward ‘nearly carbon neutral’ development,” said  Singh. “On top of that, there are numerous voluntary schemes that can have a serious impact on an organisations’ brand and reputation.”

“Keeping track of all the legislation, regulations, costs and incentives surrounding resource efficiency – and working out how it affects the data centre industry and your business – is a huge and time-consuming job. The Green Grid developed this report for the industry to be a single resource that informs business decisions and prepares data centres for the effects of current and pending changes in the regulatory environment, and ensures they can budget for and exploit these policies to gain a competitive advantage.”
 

The report is free for Green Grid members, and is also available for non-members to purchase. (abstract available here).

Examples of key UK policies include:

• Regulatory Obligations - UK Building Regulations (Part L), which requires new developers to deliver increasing standards of energy performance
• Financial Incentives - Feed In Tariffs and Enhanced Capital Allowances are available as incentives to use renewable and energy efficient technologies
• Financial Costs - Mandatory schemes such as the Climate Change Levy (CCL) and the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), and their implications for data centre operators
• Voluntary Mechanisms - schemes such as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) environmental assessment methodology