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Public access to facility-level data-center water and electricity use remains difficult, according to a Lighthouse Reports investigation summarized by TechRadar on 1 October 2026. Its Netherlands example found that only some facilities publicly offered consumption figures. That is not the same as saying operators failed to report data to authorities: government reporting and public access to each facility’s raw figures are separate issues.
What the reported figures show—and what they do not
TechRadar reports that Lighthouse Reports identified 186 data centers of at least 500 kW operating in the Netherlands by late 2025. Of those, 44 publicly offered electricity-consumption figures and 47 publicly offered water-consumption figures. Those counts amount to fewer than one-third of the qualifying facilities for electricity and roughly one-quarter for water; they describe this reported Netherlands example, not all European data centers.
The same investigation, as relayed by TechRadar, says Lighthouse Reports encountered refusals when seeking information across EU member states. Reasons reportedly included confidentiality claims and authorities saying they did not hold the requested information. These are findings attributed to Lighthouse Reports through TechRadar, not a Europe-wide census independently verified here. TechRadar’s 1 October 2026 account
Why EU reporting does not guarantee public access to raw figures
The EU Energy Efficiency Directive introduced monitoring and reporting obligations for data centers. The European Commission says a European database collects and publishes information relevant to energy performance and water footprint, under information and key performance indicators set by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364. The Commission also says its July 2025 report analyzed information submitted in the 2024 reporting period, and that an online dashboard presents aggregated data foreseen by the directive and regulation. European Commission: Energy performance of data centres
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That framework establishes reporting and publication of certain information, including aggregated data. It does not establish that the public can retrieve every facility’s unaggregated electricity and water consumption. Lighthouse Reports criticized publication of efficiency labels instead of raw data and said it filed a complaint under the Aarhus Convention. That is the group’s claim, not an adjudicated finding that the EU violated the Convention.
The Commission captures the policy rationale this way: “To measure the energy consumption and the environmental and climate impact of EU data centres, greater transparency from data centre operators is key.” European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy
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What the EU is proposing next
On 21 September 2026, the Commission proposed a common rating scheme intended to make data-center energy and water use more transparent and enable comparisons among centers in the same region. It is a proposal, not an already implemented final rating system. The Commission says a separate proposal for minimum performance standards remains in preparation, with consultation open until 14 December and final publication planned for the second quarter of 2027. European Commission: policy status
The Commission identifies comparison factors that include energy and water consumption, renewable and low-carbon energy, waste-heat reuse, and grid efficiency. Those measures can help describe performance, but a label or efficiency metric is not a substitute for absolute consumption figures. Comparisons also need geography and time period: water availability and electricity systems differ by place and change over time.
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How large is data-center electricity demand?
The Commission, citing the International Energy Agency’s Energy and AI report, gives global data-center electricity consumption as 415 TWh, about 1.5% of yearly global electricity consumption. It says global use is projected to more than double to 945 TWh by 2030. The latter is a projection, not a measured future total. European Commission: data-center energy context
A separate U.S. Department of Energy report estimates that data centers could account for 9.5% to 15.3% of total U.S. electricity use by 2030. This is a U.S. scenario range, not a measured current share, and it should not be directly compared with the global IEA figures. U.S. Department of Energy: 2025 update
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These estimates describe electricity demand at broad scales; they do not reveal how much power or water a particular facility uses. Facility-level figures, with reporting period and location, are needed to understand a site’s absolute use and local context.
What to look for when a data center publishes a figure
- Scope: Is the number for one facility, a company’s portfolio, or a regional or national aggregate?
- Period: Which year or reporting period does it cover?
- Measure: Is it absolute electricity or water consumption, or an efficiency label or ratio?
- Context: Does the disclosure identify the facility’s location and explain relevant electricity and water conditions?
- Other indicators: Does it also report renewable or low-carbon energy, waste-heat reuse, or grid efficiency?
Without those details, a comparison can obscure the difference between a small, efficient facility and a large one with higher absolute demand. An efficiency rating may help compare performance, but it cannot by itself show the quantity of resources consumed or the local impact.
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