Data Center Analysis in Germany: Hessen Accounts for Around 70 Percent of Recorded Grid Connection Capacity

Hesse ranks first with the highest connected load

For this study, IFA Berlin analysed data from Data Centre Map on a total of 573 data centres in Germany. Information on connected load in megawatts (MW) was available for 218 data centres. Of these, 151 data centres are currently in operation, accounting for a combined total of 1,763.9 MW. Of this total, Hesse accounts for just under 70 per cent of the recorded connected capacity with 1,229.8 MW, placing it by some margin in first place. There are currently 63 data centres in operation in the state for which MW figures are available. Brandenburg follows with 123.5 MW. North Rhine-Westphalia takes third place with 107.7 MW.

Lower Saxony comes last in the ranking with 2.2 MW. Saarland is second from last with 3.0 MW, whilst Rhineland-Palatinate has the third-lowest recorded connected load (3.6 MW).

On average, Brandenburg has the highest connected load per data centre

When looking at the average connected load per data centre, the ranking changes: amongst the federal states with at least five data centres in operation and available MW figures, Brandenburg then takes first place with an average of 20.6 MW per data centre. Close behind are Hesse with 19.5 MW and Berlin with 10.7 MW. Baden-Württemberg (6.1 MW) and Bavaria (4.2 MW) occupy third and fourth place. Bringing up the rear is Hamburg, with an average of 3.2 MW.

Frankfurt am Main tops the city rankings

Among Germany’s 20 largest cities, Frankfurt am Main tops the ranking with 581.6 MW of recorded electrical connected load. Berlin takes second place (96.5 MW) and Hamburg follows in third place with 31.9 MW.

At the bottom of the city rankings is Dresden with 0.7 MW. Ahead of it are Wuppertal (1.5 MW) and Hanover (2.2 MW).

Frankfurt also tops the list for average connected capacity

In terms of average connected capacity, Frankfurt am Main remains the undisputed leader with 13.2 MW. Berlin follows with 10.7 MW. Munich takes third place by a considerable margin with 4.7 MW. Hamburg once again comes in at the bottom of the table with an average connected capacity of 3.2 MW.

67 new data centre projects under construction and in the planning stage

Future projects that have already been announced were also included in the analysis. In total, there are currently 67 data centres planned or under construction, for which a potentially available power output of 6,433.7 megawatts has been stated. The largest announced connected capacity is in the federal state of Brandenburg (2,598 MW). This is followed by Hesse (1,688.9 MW) and Baden-Württemberg with 708 MW.

In terms of the number of new projects, however, Hesse leads the way. With 24 data centres planned or under construction, more new facilities are being built there than in any other federal state. Brandenburg follows closely behind with 22 data centres. All other federal states have only a very small number of newly planned projects: for example, nine new data centres are currently planned in Berlin and five in Bavaria. In five federal states (Hamburg, Saxony, Saarland, Bremen and Thuringia), however, there are currently no known data centres under construction or in the planning stage.