Spain DC, the Spanish employers' association of data centers, has expressed its concern regarding the draft royal decree that sets the requirements for energy and environmental sustainability, as well as resilience and digital sovereignty for these infrastructures. The organization has warned that any new regulation must be "proportional, technically feasible, and aligned with the European framework, avoiding that new demands could put Spain at a disadvantage compared to other community countries that compete directly for the same investments."
After a first meeting with the Government to analyze the proposed royal decree, currently in public consultation until September 4, the association emphasized that it shares the objectives of sustainability, efficiency, digital sovereignty, and "ensuring an orderly growth of the sector." However, it conveyed its "concern" about some of the proposals known so far and appealed for "caution" before issuing a definitive position, pending a thorough study of the text.
Spain DC stressed that Spain currently has "an extraordinary opportunity" to establish itself as one of the major digital hubs on the continent, which is why it believes that the new regulatory framework "must contribute to taking advantage of it, not putting it at risk." In this regard, the association highlighted that "Spain cannot afford to become, by regulatory decision, one of the most difficult European markets to develop digital infrastructure."
The entity also warned that certain proposed requirements "could hinder the viability of new projects, generate insecurity for already planned investments, or cause part of the growth of digital infrastructure to end up shifting to other European markets." Nevertheless, it positively assessed that the Executive has shown its willingness "to work together" with the sector during the period of allegations.
The association announced that it "will actively participate and with a constructive will to contribute to improving the text, seeking that the shared objectives of sustainability and sovereignty are compatible with competitiveness, investment, and the development of the Spanish digital economy."
New royal decree to regulate the deployment of data centers
The Government has submitted this Thursday to public hearing, through the urgent procedure, the draft royal decree that aims to regulate the expansion of data centers in light of the strong increase in ongoing initiatives. The draft provides that these facilities will support, with new renewable generation, at least 80% of their electricity consumption for each hour of operation.
The text has been jointly prepared by the ministries for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge; Economy, Trade and Business; and Digital Transformation and Public Function. With this regulation, the Executive wants to channel the implementation of these infrastructures by guaranteeing high standards of legal security and an attractive framework for the arrival of capital.
To this end, the Government has analyzed the tensions that have arisen in other markets - such as Ireland, Singapore, the Netherlands, or the United States - and considers that now is the right time to anticipate, avoiding the reproduction of those problems in Spain.
The regulatory proposal incorporates obligations regarding resilience and digital sovereignty, such as that the operation of the centers and the control of the data linked to that operation fall under entities subject to the law of the European Union. It also introduces requirements for environmental and energy sustainability, including the consumption of newly implemented renewable energy and compliance with energy efficiency criteria and responsible water use.
With all this, the royal decree aims to ensure that data centers in Spain comply with the strictest standards of water and energy efficiency, while reinforcing the principles of digital, technological sovereignty and the computing capacity of the country.