EDP's president, Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, warned that Portugal and Spain have competitive advantages for attracting data centers, including high penetration of cheap renewable energy, fiber connectivity capacity, and available land, but risk losing these investments to competing countries. The executive argued that both countries must clearly and proactively define conditions for attracting investment, establish energy and environmental requirements, guarantee qualified employment, tax revenues, and stable rules for investors.
The regulation of both countries is at different stages. Portugal approved this year the National Data Center Plan (PNCD), which aims to accelerate investment through the identification of land with approved planning and grid connections. In Spain, an ongoing public consultation proposes stricter rules, including the obligation for 80% renewable energy consumption on an hourly basis and the greening of each megawatt consumed within 18 months.
Spain's new rules are generating strong criticism from the sector. The association SpainDC fears a negative impact between 53.6 billion and 60.3 billion euros, with the reduction of direct and indirect investment between 80% and 90%. Investors in Spain are threatening to transfer projects to Portugal, which is considered the
