The State of Europe's Data Centre Build with Michael Winterson of EUDCA

Welcome to the PEX Park podcast.

Every two weeks, we'll be bringing you fresh updates and insights on the renewable energy market, along with a guest who'll share unique perspectives on the critical trends shaping our industry.

Welcome to a new episode of the Paxo Park podcast.

Almost every conversation about data centers starts and ends in the US.

The gigawatt campuses, the on-site gas turbines, the hyperscaler land grab.

Europe is running a very different experiment.

a digital economy that's roughly half the size of America's, an industry that has committed to carbon neutrality two decades ahead of the Green Deal, and a grid that in many places can't even offer a connection date.

So how do you serve the fastest growing new electricity demand on the continent when the queue is years long? Joining me is Michael Winterson, CEO of the European Data Center Association.

Michael spent close to three decades building, operating and selling data center services across Europe before moving to Brussels to represent the industry with policymakers.

He now sits where the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Cloud and AI Development Act, and the AI Gigafactory program are being drafted.

The rules that will decide how data centers are being developed and powered here in Europe.

We talk about why capital is no longer Europe's bottleneck, why the grid and high gas prices very much are, and why this industry has become one of the most consequential buyers in the PPA market.

And, as I do every two weeks in the second part, I'll take a look at some of the excellent reporting from the Paxo Park team.

This time, we stay close to route-to-market economics, the fierce competition in Germany's direct-for-marketing business, and a look at balancing costs in the Nordics.

Today, I'm very happy to have with me Michael Winterson, CEO of the European Data Center Association.

Michael, welcome to the show.

Welcome to the PEX Park podcast.

Every two weeks, we'll be bringing you fresh updates and insights on the renewable energy market, along with a guest who'll share unique perspectives on the critical trends shaping our industry.

Welcome to a new episode of the Paxo Park podcast.

Almost every conversation about data centers starts and ends in the US.

The gigawatt campuses, the on-site gas turbines, the hyperscaler land grab.

Europe is running a very different experiment.

a digital economy that's roughly half the size of America's, an industry that has committed to carbon neutrality two decades ahead of the Green Deal, and a grid that in many places can't even offer a connection date.

So how do you serve the fastest growing new electricity demand on the continent when the queue is years long? Joining me is Michael Winterson, CEO of the European Data Center Association.

Michael spent close to three decades building, operating and selling data center services across Europe before moving to Brussels to represent the industry with policymakers.

He now sits where the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Cloud and AI Development Act, and the AI Gigafactory program are being drafted.

The rules that will decide how data centers are being developed and powered here in Europe.

We talk about why capital is no longer Europe's bottleneck, why the grid and high gas prices very much are, and why this industry has become one of the most consequential buyers in the PPA market.

And, as I do every two weeks in the second part, I'll take a look at some of the excellent reporting from the Paxo Park team.

This time, we stay close to route-to-market economics, the fierce competition in Germany's direct-for-marketing business, and a look at balancing costs in the Nordics.

Today, I'm very happy to have with me Michael Winterson, CEO of the European Data Center Association.

Michael, welcome to the show.