Net-zero commitments are becoming more common across the data center industry, but power demand growth and stricter carbon accounting rules are reshaping expectations.
Cloud and AI growth are straining power systems, and the US GRID Act could make expansion more difficult. The industry will need greater transparency on projected energy and water use, project plans, and incentives.
Uptime Intelligence analysis shows that minimum thresholds for IT power utilization misrepresents server work capacity utilization. These thresholds can unintentionally incentivize operators to disable server energy efficiency features.
Operators are proposing behind-the-meter power systems to accelerate the buildout of new AI data center infrastructure. Executing this strategy requires regulatory changes in many jurisdictions and new data center design approaches.
French data center operators must meet strict PUE and WUE targets from early 2027 to maintain their electricity tax benefits.
Surging demand for AI data centers is driving a shift to on-site natural gas power, even though operators admit this will delay the achievement of net-zero goals.
Ireland has issued new conditions for large grid loads and proposed new codes for data center connections; similar measures are expected to follow in other locations.
Microsoft and other major campus operators are increasing transparency on new projects and committing to absorb their full development costs, but further commitments are needed to fully address public concerns.
The European Commission plans to finalize the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) delegated regulations on June 10, 2026. The draft amendments may increase the quantity of reportable EED information and establish a data center labeling program.
The use of on-site natural gas power generation for big data centers will strain operators’ ability to meet net-zero carbon goals. To counter this, operators will increasingly explore, promote and in some cases deploy carbon capture and storage.
Uptime Institute's Sustainability and Climate Change Survey (n=1,054) benchmarks the data center industry in areas such as sustainability assessments, responses to extreme weather events, and how operators are handling regulatory requirements.The…
Uptime Intelligence looks beyond the more obvious trends of 2026 and examines some of the latest developments and challenges shaping the data center industry.
Uptime Intelligence’s predictions for 2025 are revisited and reassessed with the benefit of hindsight.
Japan is expected to issue data center regulations in 2026: data centers that do not meet a 1.4 PUE limit will face penalties. However, enterprise data centers appear to have evaded the stipulations.
A last-minute revision to the European Commission’s plans to simplify regulations has brought some companies back under the scope for CSRD reporting.
Douglas Donnellan
Jay Dietrich
Dr. Tomas Rahkonen
Peter Judge
Paul Carton
Anthony Sbarra
Laurie Williams
Daniel Bizo
Andy Lawrence
Max Smolaks
Dr. Rand Talib