ZERO warns data centre boom could strain Portugal's grid

Environmental group ZERO has warned that the expansion of data centres in Portugal, encouraged by a recent government resolution, lacks binding sustainability criteria on energy, water and land use. It estimates that fulfilling all current grid connection requests from data centre projects could quadruple peak electricity demand to 41 GW, requiring solar panels covering 3% of national territory and water consumption equal to the entire Lisbon metropolitan area. ZERO says data centre requests already account for over 70% of power capacity sought from grid operator REN, and calls for mandatory rules on renewable energy, water use, efficiency and waste heat reuse.