Data: Europe sees strong data centre growth, but delivery is uneven

A new BCS Consultancy report, Data Centre Truths 2026, shows demand for data centres in Europe remains high, with 93% of surveyed industry players expecting growth over the next year and 78% reporting a sharp rise in AI-driven demand. The question now is less about whether the market will grow and more about where and how new capacity can actually be delivered.

BCS warns that delivery, not demand, is the main bottleneck. Power access, skills shortages, planning delays, supply chain disruption and AI readiness now hit projects at the same time, making growth uneven across regions. Some 86% of respondents still see supply chain volatility, and 95% expect the shortage of skilled professionals to worsen, already leading to missed deadlines, higher costs and lost orders. The UK has kept a strong delivery pace with a 10GW pipeline over 10 years, while DACH, Italy, France, Iberia and the Nordics are also set for growth. Yet only about 20% of facilities are AI-ready today, exposing a gap between expectations and what can be brought online. BCS notes that local execution capability is becoming a key advantage, and 70% of respondents expect geopolitical tensions to add further pressure on the sector.