Data Centre Expert Group
In 2025, the experts of the Data Centre Expert Group were once again actively involved in various formats such as meetings, workshops and panel discussions. The focus of their work covered topics including energy efficiency, the utilisation of waste heat, and the development of data centre projects both on greenfield sites and within existing infrastructure. These activities were complemented by a four-part roadshow series with stops in Hamburg, Luxembourg, Frankfurt and Munich, as well as a seven-part webinar series on topics related to digitalisation.
At the start of the Expert Group’s activities in 2026, 41 participants discussed the relevance of current energy efficiency metrics in the context of existing regulations during a virtual meeting on 6 February. The Competence Group Leader, Dr Béla Waldhauser, presented the results of a current PUE survey and addressed the challenges involved in determining these metrics in the context of the data centre register.
On 18 March, 51 participants gathered at the DE-CIX MeetingCenter in Frankfurt for the first in-person meeting of the year. Under the title “Planning Power Densities in Data Centres – Strategies and Approaches for Determining Requirements”, the Competence Group Leader Dr Béla Waldhauser presented the new white paper “Orientation Guide to Power Density and Load Determination of Servers, Data Cabinets and Data Centres”. The authors Ulrich Terrahe and Peter auf dem Graben (both DC-CE RZ-Beratung), along with Marcus Pump (SVA GmbH), were available to answer questions from participants during a discussion session.
On 8 April, the topic “Building-Integrated Photovoltaics for Data Centres” was the focus of a virtual exchange meeting of the Competence Group. Thirty participants were able to learn about standards and various system concepts for efficient building operations. The exchange was complemented by short presentations from Kai Brandau, Jochen Weick and Manfred Starlinger.
As part of a discussion format organised by the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany on 9 April in Berlin, Dr Béla Waldhauser – the Competence Group Leader and Alliance Spokesperson – introduced the topic “Sector Coupling and Data Centre Development – Synergies for the Berlin Metropolitan Region”. In the subsequent panel discussion with Klaus Müller, President of the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), panellists discussed the contribution data centres can make to the networks of the future.
On 5 May, the evening before the Data Center Expert Summit, the eco Data Center Awards 2025 were presented in Mainz as part of a festive gala.
In the category “Most Innovative Data Centre Project under 3.5 MW”, the award was presented to JH-Computer GmbH. In the category “Most Innovative Data Centre Project over 3.5 MW”, Akquinet outsourcing gGmbH was recognised. Bernhard Huter received an award as “eco Data Center Person of the Year” for his commitment within the sustainability initiative “Racks4Roots”. Peter Knapp, long-standing Managing Director of Interxion Deutschland GmbH, now Digital Realty, was honoured with a “Lifetime Achievement Award”.
On 6 May, the sixth Data Center Expert Summit (DCES) took place at the Alte Lokhalle in Mainz, bringing together more than 180 industry experts. The specialist conference, held as part of the 30th anniversary of eco, provided a central platform for exchanging views on current and future key topics in digital infrastructure. Discussions focused on the strategic importance of the sector as the backbone of digital transformation in Germany. Particular emphasis was placed on sustainable concepts and innovative approaches such as future-proof heat supply solutions to ensure the long-term competitiveness of the data centre location. The event thus highlighted the importance of a high-performance and environmentally conscious digital infrastructure for the entire economy.
On 4 and 5 June, Data Center World took place at Messe Frankfurt. eco was once again represented with a joint stand. Various panel discussions explored topics such as “The Network Economy of Data Centres – Growth, Resilience and the Workforce of Tomorrow” and “Optimisation and Security in Data Centres – Challenges and Solutions for Efficient Infrastructure Operations”.
On 12 September, the Competence Group welcomed around 100 industry experts to the in-person meeting “Structural Change & Digital Transformation” at Paffendorf Castle in the Rhein district. During a guided bus tour to the former Niederaussem power plant site, the Hambach open-cast mine and future digital park areas, participants gained insight into the scale of the ongoing structural transformation. In the subsequent discussion sessions, participants experienced first-hand the transformation of the Rhenish mining region into a leading digital region.
The focus was on data centres and digital parks as strategic drivers of the future, creating new sustainable value chains through innovative approaches such as industrial waste heat utilisation and on-site energy generation. The event underscored the vision of positioning the region as an “Innovation Valley” at the heart of Europe through the targeted integration of digital infrastructure, location policy and education.
On 24 September, Dr Béla Waldhauser, Leader of the Data Centre Expert Group and Spokesperson for the eco Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, discussed the future data centre strategy of the federal state of Hesse and the role of data centres for the economy and labour market with Ivo Ivanov, CEO DE-CIX, and Prof. Dr Kristina Sinemus, Hessian Minister for Digitalisation and Innovation, as part of an AllianceTalk.
On 8 October, the topic “Existing Data Centre Space – Challenges and Solutions” was the focus of a Competence Group meeting. The host, Fogtec Brandschutz GmbH, provided the ideal setting at the historic industrial site of Cologne’s Carlswerk to discuss the potential of brownfield developments, electricity availability and savings potential through the “digital twin”.
As part of “Vernetzt NRW – The Digital Infrastructure Summit” on 8 October at Messe Essen, representatives of the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany presented the study “The Internet Industry in Germany 2025-2030: Future Prospects for Digital Infrastructures” to an expert audience.
On 3 and 4 November, the motto at Coburg University of Applied Sciences was “Back to the Future – AI, Energy and a Century of Quantum Physics”. Fifty industry experts from academia, business and data centre operations discussed current developments in AI, energy efficiency and quantum computing during the final Competence Group meeting of the year. The event provided ample opportunity for professional exchange, inspiring presentations and networking on the intersection of technology and sustainability in data centre operations.
As part of the AllianceTalk “Forward-Looking Location Policy or All in for AI Gigafactories” on 4 December in Berlin, Günter Eggers, Member of the Steering Committee of the eco Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, introduced the topic of location policy. The subsequent discussion and keynote focused on the “Future of Germany as a Data Centre Location” and the “Outlook for the Federal Data Centre Strategy”.
Data Center Roadshow Autumn 2025
In 2025, four events of the highly successful Data Center Roadshow format were once again held. The after-work format in various Internet regions once again invited participants to network in a relaxed atmosphere. The series kicked off on 1 October in Hamburg under the title “Digital Harbour – Your Data Hub in Hamburg”. Further networking events followed on 15 October in Luxembourg (“Europe’s Digital Heart – Innovations for a Sovereign Cloud”), on 30 October in Frankfurt (“Data Capital – Data Centres as Drivers of the Digital Economy”), and on 13 November in Munich (“High-Tech from Bavaria – Data Centres as Enablers of Innovation and Energy Efficiency”). The successful format is set to continue in additional cities next year.
Further Contributions to Content
As part of the funding project DC2HEAT (Data Centre Heat Recovery with AI Technologies), coordinated by the Borderstep Institute, eco representatives participated in the second advisory board meeting on 29 April.
On 8 May, Dr Béla Waldhauser, the Competence Group Leader, took part in a panel discussion at the Gigabit Summit Hesse alongside representatives from economic development and the IT industry on the topic “Data Centres as Drivers of Gigabit Infrastructure Expansion”.
On 22 May, eco representatives of the Competence Group participated in the 14th Frankfurt Symposium for Digital Infrastructure. The event focused on how to better leverage the opportunities of AI while minimising risks. Discussions addressed necessary policy impulses for maintaining competitiveness, the central role of education and training, and the development of sustainable infrastructure to meet increasing computing and energy demands.
On 22 August, Nejc Jakopin (Arthur D. Little) presented excerpts from the eco study “The Internet Industry in Germany 2025–2030” to municipal and North Rhine-Westphalia state-level representatives during the second meeting of the “Future Council Digital Park Bergheim”.
On 16 September, representatives of the Competence Group participated in the “Association Roundtable on Data Centres and Heat” organised by the DENEFF EDL_HUB. One of the objectives was the development of user-friendly guidelines on waste heat utilisation use cases.
