Data‑center operators are planning their own gas power plants despite legal requirements for renewable energy. Handelsblatt reports that shortages of grid capacity are encouraging local fossil‑fuel supply. “The grid does not offer enough connection capacity at the sites where data centers are to be built” said Ralph Hintemann, who analyses data‑center supply at the Borderstep Institute.
Several examples illustrate this trend. Edgeconnex plans a 170‑MW data center in Maintal, near Frankfurt, and will rely on a dedicated gas plant to supply the site until it connects to the national grid in 2037. Eon is building a 61‑MW plant together with CyrusOne. In Mainz, a 54‑MW facility will provide emergency power for Green Mountain’s data center. In Birstein, Hesse, Argaman Group’s “Frank Cube power station” is expected to supply a 200‑MW data center.
The German federal government aims to double renewable‑energy capacity to six gigawatts by 2030. Still, from 2027, data centers must account for 100 % of their electricity from renewables. Operators can offset their consumption through certificates.