Spanish data centres on the breakfast menu

The session focussed on: Spain’s recent blackout; power availability; and regional growth. There was a lively debate from our participants which included leading industry investors, operators, designers and consultants as they discussed some of the biggest blockers and brightest opportunities facing Spain’s data centre market. Topics included:

Power Availability: non-negotiable

The recent blackout in Spain served as a wake-up call for the industry, triggering an urgent discussion on infrastructure resilience and risk. The blackout may have exposed vulnerabilities in Spain's power infrastructure, particularly concerning its ability to support energy-intensive industries like data centres. Although major operators reported uninterrupted operations due to effective backup systems, the incident raised questions about the reliability of the national grid, with investors and industry leaders concerned that Spain might be perceived as having an insufficiently stable energy supply, potentially diverting future investments to countries with more robust infrastructures.

This brought focus to the critical role of power availability in enabling sustainable data centre growth in the region and a general view that power isn’t just an operational issue – it’s a strategic one.

Reliable and scalable power supply is seen as a fundamental requirement for future data centre investments. To achieve this there is a clear need for stronger collaboration between the private sector and public authorities to upgrade the energy infrastructure.

That said, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Spain is already a leader in renewable energy in Europe, which is increasingly important for powering data centres sustainably and cost-effectively and the Spanish government is supporting green energy initiatives, making it attractive for ESG-conscious investors.

Opportunities and growing interest

Spain is seen as appealing to potential investors as it is well connected with a relatively sparse population. It has a robust local supply chain and a well-developed ecosystem particularly in the key areas of construction, engineering and logistics. As a result, the region is attracting fast growing interest from international players, including hyperscalers and infrastructure investors. The local infrastructure is ready, and the challenge now is keeping up with the speed of demand.

Projects are stalling

However, whilst major investments are in the pipeline, many projects are stalled - still awaiting key enablers such as energy availability and approvals to move forward, although efforts are being made to streamline permitting and support digital transformation. After all, access to land means little without the available power. There are also concerns that Spain is also facing a shortage of specialised talent in areas like data centre engineering and operations. To address this there’s an urgent need to strengthen education and industry partnerships to raise awareness among younger generations.

Conclusion - common themes with London and the rest of Europe

The majority of challenges facing the Spanish market are replicated in the UK and the rest of Europe - sustainability, energy availability, and a lack of skilled talent. However, Spain has the land, the infrastructure and capability. Speed of decision making, scalability and long-term vision are essential to unlock its full potential if the region is to become a key datacentre hub in Southern Europe.

BCS Breakfast Club

Anna Rantala, Marketing Manager at BCS said: “Hosted across Europe, The BCS Breakfast Club is a space where industry leaders, experts, and partners come together to share insights, debate key issues, and explore solutions. The events bring together a mix of data centre operators, developers, investors, engineers, and sustainability experts to talk about the most pressing topics in critical infrastructure.

“The data centre industry is moving faster than ever. AI is transforming demand; sustainability regulations are tightening; and energy constraints are growing. Our discussions are designed to spark new ideas, drive collaboration, and help companies rethink their approaches to legacy data centres, refurbishment strategies, new regions and sustainability initiatives.”