How much energy do Microsoft and Google consume? The Dutch don't know

"The new European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) requires large companies to report their energy and water consumption annually from 2024 onwards. Data centers with at least 500 kW of installed IT capacity must report to national authorities such as the RVO by May 15 at the latest. However, compliance appears to be problematic: of the 160 Dutch data centers, 104 submitted something, but 27 left crucial fields blank. All but three of these were American-owned."

"Google writes that it does not share data due to "business confidentiality, as stipulated in the European directive." Microsoft states that the reporting "meets the requirements, carefully balancing transparency, security, and business confidentiality." The RVO confirms that companies were indeed not required to provide commercially sensitive information in 2024. They will have to do so in 2025, but they may indicate that this information is commercially sensitive."

"The NRC writes about doctoral researcher Marloes de Valk, who thought she would be able to get to the bottom of the matter thanks to the EU rules introduced in 2023, but nothing could be further from the truth. Postdoctoral researcher Fieke Jansen of the University of Amsterdam criticises this position. According to her, Tennet and Liander can share this information if the government requests it, but the political will to do so is lacking."

European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) requires large companies to report energy and water consumption annually from 2024. Data centers with at least 500 kW installed IT capacity must report to national authorities such as the RVO by May 15. The RVO received blank forms or no data from many operators; of 160 Dutch data centers, 104 submitted something while 27 left crucial fields blank, most being American-owned. Google and Microsoft invoked business confidentiality, and the RVO confirmed commercially sensitive information was not required in 2024. Central Bureau of Statistics estimates data center electricity use will exceed 5,000 GWh in 2024, about 4.5% of national consumption. Researchers criticize lack of political will to compel detailed figures.

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