Why Spain?

Spain is rapidly emerging as one of Europe’s most attractive destinations for hyperscale and AI-driven data centre infrastructure.

Through EchelonIberdrolaDigital Infra, Echelon Data Centres and Iberdrola have combined hyperscale delivery expertise with Europe’s leading renewable energy platform to unlock a new model for scalable digital infrastructure development.

As AI adoption accelerates and cloud demand continues to surge, the industry’s greatest challenge is no longer demand, it is power availability. Spain offers a unique combination of renewable energy capacity, grid infrastructure, connectivity, land availability and cost competitiveness that positions it as the ideal location for next-generation data centre development.

Power Availability is the Defining Advantage

Across Europe’s traditional FLAP-D markets, power shortages are delaying new developments and limiting expansion opportunities. Spain presents a different path forward.

Echelon Iberdrola Digital Infra’s power-first strategy secures energy infrastructure before development begins, dramatically reducing project risk and accelerating delivery timelines. By integrating renewable generation directly with data centre campuses, the joint venture delivers the certainty hyperscalers and AI operators require.

The platform already has:

  • 723MW of secured power capacity
  • A pipeline scalable to 2GW+ by 2030
  • Approximately 400 acres of secured development land

A Market Built for AI and Hyperscale Growth

Demand for AI and hyperscale capacity is expected to grow exponentially over the coming decade. Spain is forecast to become one of Europe’s fastest-growing digital infrastructure markets.

Industry projections show:

  • European data centre capacity is expected to triple by 2030
  • AI and hyperscale workloads are driving 40%+ CAGR in compute demand
  • Spain’s live IT load is expected to increase from approximately 475MW today to as much as 4.6GW by 2035

This growth is being driven by hyperscalers, cloud providers and AI infrastructure deployments seeking scalable, renewable-powered capacity with lower operating costs and faster delivery timelines.

Lower Total Cost of Ownership

For hyperscale and AI operators, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is critical. Spain consistently outperforms many competing European markets across key cost metrics.

Spain benefits from:

  • Competitive wholesale energy pricing
  • Lower construction costs
  • Available land at attractive pricing
  • Skilled technical labour
  • High-quality engineering and construction standards

Power alone can account for up to 15% of a data centre’s TCO, making Spain’s energy advantage particularly significant for AI and high-density deployment.

Renewable Energy Leadership

Spain has one of the most competitive and sustainable energy markets in Europe. Iberdrola’s leadership in renewable generation gives EchelonIberdrolaDigital Infra a unique strategic advantage.

Iberdrola is:

  • Europe’s largest utility
  • A global leader in renewable energy generation
  • The leading PPA provider in Europe
  • Capable of delivering true 24/7 renewable energy solutions through a mix of:
    • Solar PV
    • Onshore wind
    • Hydro power
    • Energy storage infrastructure

Spain’s renewable penetration significantly reduces dependency on gas-based generation, helping deliver more stable and competitive long-term energy pricing than many European peers.

Solving Europe’s Grid Access Problem

One of the biggest barriers to data centre development across Europe is access to grid capacity. In Spain, the traditional grid connection process is increasingly complex, competitive and time consuming.

Echelon Iberdrola Digital Infra overcomes this challenge through a differentiated infrastructure model.

By co-locating data centres with renewable energy assets in self-consumption mode, the JV can:

  • Secure grid access more efficiently
  • Reduce dependence on long transmission planning cycles
  • Accelerate connection timelines
  • Deliver faster time-to-market

This model has already enabled the JV to secure substantial granted capacity in strategic locations while many competing projects remain delayed until 2030 or beyond.

Government and Regional Support

Spain’s regional governments are actively supporting digital infrastructure investment and grid expansion initiatives.

Support includes:

  • Collaboration on transmission network planning
  • Expansion of consumption capacity in strategic nodes
  • Streamlined permitting mechanisms
  • Local governmental support for key projects including Madrid Sur

This institutional alignment further strengthens Spain’s position
as a long-term destination for hyperscale infrastructure
investment.