Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 of 14 March 2024 on the first phase of the establishment of a common Union rating scheme for data centres

Article 1

Subject matter and scope

This Regulation sets out the information and key performance indicators to be communicated to the European database by the operators of data centres with an installed information technology power demand of at least 500 kW and are necessary for the establishment of a common Union scheme for rating the sustainability of data centres in the Union, as well as a common measurement and calculation methodology. It also defines the first data centre sustainability indicators that will be calculated based on the information and key performance indicators communicated to the European database on data centres.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:

(1) ‘enterprise data centre’ means a data centre that is operated by an enterprise, and of which the sole purpose is to deliver and manage the information technology needs of the enterprise;

(2) ‘colocation data centre’ means a data centre in which one or more customers install and manage their own network or networks, servers and storage equipment and services;

(3) ‘co-hosting data centre’ means a data centre in which one or more customers are provided with access to network or networks, servers, and storage equipment on which they operate their own services and applications and where both the information technology equipment and the support infrastructure of the building are provided as a service by the data centre operator;

(4) ‘enterprise data centre operator’ means a physical or legal person who manages the entire enterprise data centre, including the building and the use of the information technology services delivered;

(5) ‘colocation data centre operator’ means a physical or legal person who manages and sells space, security, network access, power and cooling capacity in the entire colocation data centre to one or more customers who install and manage their own network or networks, servers and storage equipment and services;

(6) ‘co-hosting data centre operator’ means a physical or legal person who manages the co-hosting data centre space, security, network access, power, cooling, network or networks, servers, and storage equipment, and part of the necessary software to deliver information technology services to one or more customers, including information technology outsourcing;

(7) ‘data centre operator’ means enterprise data centre operator, colocation data centre operator or co-hosting data centre operator;

(8) ‘colocation customer’ means a physical or legal person who owns and manages one or more networks, servers and storage equipment located in a colocation data centre in which they purchase managed space, power, and cooling capacity;

(9) ‘co-hosting customer’ means a physical or legal person who obtains access to a network or networks, servers, and storage equipment in a co-hosting data centre on which they operate their own services and applications;

(10) ‘information technology outsourcing’ is the use of external service providers to deliver information technology-enabled business processes, application services and infrastructure solutions for business outcomes;

(11) ‘data centre total floor area’ means the total floor area of all floors of the structure or group of structures that constitute the data centre;

(12) ‘data centre computer room floor area’ means the total floor area within the data centre that accommodates the data processing, data storage and telecommunication equipment that provide the information technology services of the data centre;

(13) ‘data centre redundancy’ means the duplication of certain sets of components or functions of a data centre in such a way that if one set fails or needs to be taken down for maintenance, the other set or sets can take over;

(14) ‘installed information technology power demand’ means the sum of the nominal power demand, in kW, of the network or networks, servers and storage equipment installed in the data centre computer room floor area;

(15) ‘rated information technology load’ means the maximum load of the network or networks, servers, and storage equipment, installed in the data centre computer room floor area, that the data centre infrastructure for power distribution and environmental control is capable of handling while providing the desired service availability.

Article 3

Reporting mechanism for the sustainability of data centres

The information and key performance indicators shall cover the calendar year immediately preceding the reporting year. Where a reporting data centre has been in operation for less than a year, the data centre operator shall report only for the period the data centre has been in operation, indicating as well that period.

Colocation data centre operators may gather the key performance indicators set out in Annex II, from their colocation customers, if necessary, by setting up an anonymous internal reporting mechanism.

Article 4

Data centre sustainability indicators

The data centre sustainability indicators and the methodology to calculate them are set out in Annex III.

Article 5

European database on data centres

Article 6

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

ANNEX I

INFORMATION TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE EUROPEAN DATABASE ON DATA CENTRES

The following information shall be communicated to the European database on data centres.

1. Information on the reporting data centre

(a) Data centre name is the name used to identify and describe the reporting data centre.

(b) Owner and operator of the data centre including the name and contact details of the owner and of the operator of the reporting data centre.

(c) Location of the data centre is the Local Administrative Unit Code (LAU code) of the location of the reporting data centre (building or site) expressed in accordance with the most recent LAU tables published by Eurostat.

(d) Type of data centre is the type of the reporting data centre that matches the main operation of the reporting data centre, in accordance with the definition of data centre and the definitions of every type of data centres set out by this Regulation. The type of reporting data centre can take one of the values ‘enterprise data centre’, ‘colocation data centre’ or ‘co-hosting data centre’, combined with one of the values ‘structure’ or ‘group of structures’. If a colocation data centre also offers co-hosting services or if a co-hosting data centre also offers colocation services, this shall be indicated.

(e) Year and month of entry into operation is the calendar year and month during which the reporting data centre started providing information technology services.

2. Information on the operation of the reporting data centre

The data centre operator of each reporting data centre shall provide the following information:

(a) electrical infrastructure redundancy level at high voltage level / at low voltage level (line-up) /at rack level;

(b) cooling infrastructure redundancy level at room level / at rack level.

For the redundancy levels, if ‘N’ represents the baseline number of components or functions to satisfy the normal conditions, redundancy shall be expressed compared to that baseline ‘N’, for example as ‘N+1,’ ‘N+2,’ ‘2N’, etc. Facility redundancy can apply to an entire site (back-up site), systems or components. Information technology redundancy can apply to hardware and software.

ANNEX II

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TO BE MONITORED, GATHERED AND COMMUNICATED TO THE EUROPEAN DATABASE ON DATA CENTRES AND THE MEASUREMENT METHODOLOGIES

For all monitoring, data centre operators shall keep a record of the measurement points and measurement devices used, for a period of at least 10 years.

The following key performance indicators shall be monitored, gathered and communicated to the European database on data centres.

1. Energy and sustainability indicators

(a) Installed information technology power demand (‘PDIT’, in kW), as defined in Article 2. Where the installed information technology power demand has changed during the reporting period, a weighted average shall be used. Where the installed information technology power demand cannot be determined, the data centre rated information technology power demand (in kW), as defined in Article 2, can be used. Where the data centre rated information technology power demand has changed during the reporting period, a weighted average shall be used. The reporting data centre shall indicate which metric it uses for its reporting;

(b) Data centre total floor area (‘SDC’, in square metres). If the structure that houses the data centre has a different primary function (for example, office building), the value of SDC must be limited to the sum of the floor area occupied by the data centre’s computer room or rooms and the floor area occupied by the equipment necessary for the proper operation of the data centre. If this equipment also serves the other functions of the structure (for example, common cooling system for the whole structure), a percentage of the floor area occupied by such equipment that reflects the rated power demand of the data centre computer room or rooms shall be used for the calculation of the previous subparagraph. If the data centre occupies one structure, the value of SDC shall be the floor area of this structure. If the data centre occupies a group of structures, the value of SDC shall be the sum of the floor areas of all structures;

(c) Data centre computer room floor area (‘SCR’, in square metres). If the data centre occupies a group of structures, the value of SCR shall be the sum of the computer room floor area of all structures;

(d) Total energy consumption (‘EDC’, in kWh) of the reporting data centre shall be measured as defined by, and by using the methodology in the CEN/CENELEC EN 50600-4-2 standard or equivalent. Total energy consumption includes the use of electricity, fuels and other energy sources used for cooling. The amount of EDC coming from back-up generators (EDC-BG, in kWh) shall be measured separately. Total energy consumption shall be measured at the input of the data centre system before the supply transfer switchgear. The measurement points shall be set at the primary and secondary supply of energy and at every additional supply, for example, back-up generation. In the case of a cogeneration or an absorption chiller, if internal to the system, the measurement point shall be at the input of the cogeneration or absorption chiller, measuring the fuel consumed. If external, in the case of cogeneration, the measurement points shall be at the electricity and heat outputs, and in the case of the absorption chiller, the measurement point shall be at the cooling output;

(e) Total energy consumption of information technology equipment (‘EIT’, in kWh) shall be measured in accordance with the category 1 methodology for the calculation of the PUE set out in the CEN/CENELEC EN 50600-4-2 standard or equivalent. Data centres shall measure the combined annual energy consumption at every uninterruptible power system (UPS) connected to data centre information technology equipment. For data centres that do not have a UPS, for example, direct current data centres, EIT can be measured at the power distribution unit (PDU) connected to data centre information technology equipment, or in accordance with the category 2 methodology for the calculation of the PUE set out in the CEN/CENELEC EN 50600-4-2 standard, or at a measurement point that data centres will specify. Figure 1 illustrates a general schema of monitoring and measurement points in a data centre, where measurement locations for the total energy consumption and the total consumption of information technology equipment are indicated; Figure 1 Measurement of energy consumption

(f) Electrical grid functions is the information on whether any functions that support the stability, reliability, and resilience of the electrical grid are provided by the data centre, such as peak demand shifting or firm frequency response (FFR);

(g) Average battery capacity (‘CBtG’, in kW) is the average capacity of the data centre batteries that were offered to the grid via a relevant market or contracts for electrical grid functions;

(h) Total water input (‘WIN’, in cubic metres) shall be measured as defined by, and by using the methodology set out in the CEN/CENELEC EN 50600-4-9 standard WUE Category 2, or if not possible, the methodology set out in Category 1, or equivalent standard. Data centres shall measure all water volumes that enter the data centre boundary and are used in relation to the data centre functions including environmental, power, security, and information technology. The reporting data centre shall indicate which WUE Category it uses for its reporting. Figure 2 illustrates a general schema of monitoring and measurement points in a data centre, including measurement locations for ERES-OS, WIN, and EREUSE; Figure 2 Measurement of water input and waste heat reused.

(i) Total potable water input (‘WIN-POT’, in cubic metres) shall be measured as defined by, and by using the methodology set out in, the CEN/CENELEC EN 50600-4-9 standard WUE Category 1 or equivalent. Data centres shall measure all potable water sources that enter the data centre boundary and are used for data centre functions including environmental, power, security, and information technology; If the structure that houses the data centre has a different primary function, the values of WIN and WIN-POT must be limited to the water used (or estimated as used) by the equipment in the data centre’s computer room or rooms and the equipment necessary for the operation of the data centre.

(j) Waste heat reused (‘EREUSE’, in kWh) shall be measured as defined by, and by using the methodology set out in, the CEN/CENELEC EN 50600-4-6 standard or equivalent. Data centres shall measure the heat that is used or reused outside of the data centre boundary, and which substitutes partly or totally energy needed outside the data centre boundary. Defining the boundaries of the data centre is a key aspect to successfully measure this indicator, since only energy being reused outside the boundaries of the data centre is counted. Figure 2 provides a scheme to set the data centre boundaries, which are described by the perimeter, spaces and equipment contained therein. Reused energy shall be measured at the boundary of the data centre at the point where the energy provided is handed off to be used by the other party. If part of the waste heat is reused for cooling the data centre, that part must be subtracted from the reused waste heat, that is to say, subtracting the share of flow rate of cooling fluid used in the data centre;

(k) Average waste heat temperature (‘TWH’, in degree Celsius) shall be measured as the temperature of the fluid used to cool the information and communication technology equipment in the data centre computer room, averaged over the year, and across every measurement point. The waste heat temperature is measured at the point where the heated fluid enters the heat exchanger(s) at the data centre computer room boundary (Figure 3). For data centres with heat recovery, that is at the heat recovery exchanger. If there is no heat recovery, the measurement is taken at every heat exchanger at the data centre computer room boundary carrying heat from the information technology equipment; Figure 3 Measurement of waste heat temperature

(l) Average setpoint information technology equipment intake air temperature (‘TIN’, in degree Celsius) shall be measured as the average setpoint temperature in all data centre computer rooms, set as a setpoint command to the cooling system used for the information and communication technology equipment in the data centre computer rooms averaged over the year.

(m) Types of refrigerants used in the cooling and air conditioning equipment of the data centre computer room floor area, where each type of refrigerant is the common name or industrial designation of the refrigerant in accordance with the Annexes to the Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (⁴);

(n) Cooling degree days (‘CDD’, in degree-days) shall be determined as the number of cooling degree days for the location of the reporting data centre during the last calendar year, by using the methodology used by Eurostat and the Joint Research Centre (⁵) or equivalent (⁶), and with a base temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. Open access sources shall be used to determine the cooling degree days;

(o) Total renewable energy consumption (‘ERES-TOT’, in kWh) shall be determined as defined by, and by using the methodology set out in the CEN/CENELEC EN 50600-4-3 standard or equivalent. ERES-TOT is the sum of ERES-GOO, ERES-PPA and ERES-OS, as defined below;

(p) Total renewable energy consumption from Guarantees of Origin (‘ERES-GOO’, in kWh) shall be determined as the sum of the Guarantees of Origin purchased and retired by the reporting data centre. The data centre shall measure the ERES-PPA that enters the data centre boundary, and which cannot be counted for more than one data centre or be created from power purchasing agreements or on-site renewables;

(q) Total renewable energy consumption from Power Purchasing Agreements (‘ERES-PPA’, in kWh) shall be determined as the amount of energy from Power Purchasing Agreements made by the reporting data centre. The data centre shall measure the ERES-PPA that enters the data centre boundary, and which cannot be counted for more than one data centre. Any Guarantees of Origin created as a result of such Power Purchasing Agreements must be owned and retired by the reporting data centre so that they are included in ERES-PPA. Otherwise, the concerned amount of energy shall be subtracted from the measured ERES-PPA;

(r) Total renewable energy consumption from on-site renewables (‘ERES-OS’, in kWh) shall be measured as the energy generated from on-site renewable energy sources within the data centre boundary. See Figure 2. Any Guarantees of Origin created as a result of these on-site renewable energy sources must be owned and retired by the reporting data centre so that they are included in ERES-OS. Otherwise, the amount of energy in question shall be subtracted from the measured ERES-OS.

2. ICT capacity indicators

ICT capacity is measured for servers and data storage products as servers and data storage products are defined in the Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/424 (⁷). ICT capacity indicators shall be reported for the respective equipment in place as of 31 December of the reporting year.