Draft royal decree: data centres to prove 80% additional renewable supply

On 25 August the Council of Ministers cleared urgent processing of a draft royal decree tying the growth of data centres to energy sustainability, water efficiency and digital sovereignty criteria. According to pv magazine España it will require proof that at least 80% of electricity consumed is renewable, on an additionality basis — each new MW of demand matched by a new MW of renewable generation commissioned in the preceding 18 months — and on an hourly matching basis. Additionality can be met through self-consumption or long-term PPAs, which opens contractable demand for new capacity.