The Polish Data Center Association (PLDCA) sees an opportunity to accelerate the development of the data center sector in Poland in the recently published European Commission documents. Alongside Spain, Italy and the Nordic countries, Poland has been identified as one of the key European markets (so-called hotspots) for new digital investments in the EU.
The EC’s documents explicitly state that the EU’s goal is to triple the computing power of data centers within the next 5-7 years. The most innovative and sustainable investments will be able to apply for an EU 'competitiveness seal’, granting access to financing from the European Competitiveness Fund.
At the beginning of June, the European Commission published the long-awaited draft regulation 'Cloud and AI Development Act’ (CADA). The new rules show that the development of data centers has become one of the EU’s economic priorities. Another key document for the data center industry is the 'Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence in the Energy Sector’, also announced in early June.
Tripling computing power in 5-7 years
– The scale of planned investments is enormous – the EC documents explicitly state that the EU’s goal is to triple the computing power of data centers within the next 5-7 years, so that by 2035 it can fully meet the growing demand for cloud services and artificial intelligence – writes the Polish Data Center Association (PLDCA).
– We are facing a major transformation: Poland is the largest energy construction site in Europe, and the EU plans clearly show that this process must go hand in hand with digitalisation. Without our own gigawatts of power, there is no question of sovereign AI or a strong economy resilient to crises – said Piotr Kowalski, managing director of the Polish Data Center Association (PLDCA).
– The CADA draft regulation is a signal for us that Brussels recognises this strategic intersection of technology and energy. We hope that this impulse will allow us to optimally use the huge outlays on Polish energy infrastructure and permanently anchor our country in the global AI bloodstream – he added.
Poland as a hotspot for digital investments
In the published 'Strategic Roadmap’, the European Commission explicitly emphasises the need for a more geographically balanced distribution of computing power in Europe and reducing the concentration of infrastructure in the so-called FLAP-D hubs (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin). Alongside Spain, Italy and the Nordic countries, Poland has been identified as one of the key European markets (hotspots) where growing demand for new digital investments in the EU is already concentrated.
– The official indication of Poland in EU documents of this rank and the goal of tripling computing power in Europe is a strong signal for our market. It confirms that our country has unique geopolitical and economic conditions for building a regional base for artificial intelligence systems. The proposed CADA regulations give us real tools to remove infrastructure barriers that have so far limited the inflow of foreign technology capital – stressed Piotr Kowalski.
A key element of the CADA regulation is the obligation for member states to designate special Data Centre Acceleration Zones. When designing them, governments will have to consider energy availability, telecommunications connectivity, the potential for using post-industrial sites (brownfield), and the possibility of recovering waste heat. Uniform sustainability requirements and non-discriminatory access to resources will apply in these zones.
PLDCA points to Article 14 of the CADA draft, which introduces the status of 'Strategic Data Centre Projects’ – the most innovative and sustainable investments will be able to apply for an EU 'competitiveness seal’, enabling access to financing from the European Competitiveness Fund. Additionally, member states will gain the ability to apply targeted state aid to such projects. The new solutions are intended to support investments of strategic importance for the development of European digital infrastructure and increasing EU competitiveness in this area.
Źródło: wnp.pl, Fot. FOTOGRIN / Shutterstock
