As Europe races to triple its data centre capacity over the next five to seven years to meet surging demand from artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital transformation, the continent faces a critical infrastructure challenge: ensuring uninterrupted power supply through resilient battery backup systems. The urgency of this challenge was starkly demonstrated by the Iberian Peninsula blackout on 28th April 2025, which left millions without power for up to ten hours and exposed vulnerabilities in grid stability.
With Europe's data centre energy storage market projected to grow from 585 million euros in 2024 to 1.2 billion euros by 2034, Battery & Energy Storage Europe in Barcelona is positioning the region to seize leadership in this rapidly expanding sector.
Europe's data centres consumed over 90 terawatt hours of electricity in 2024, with consumption expected to rise substantially as AI and big data workloads expand. This explosive growth, combined with stringent EU Green Deal objectives and the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, is driving unprecedented investment in advanced battery-backed systems that reduce downtime, optimise peak load management and align with sustainability targets.
“The rapid expansion and power intensity of Data Centre infrastructure relies on the successful deployment of Battery Energy Storage Solutions to provide reliable backup, smooth peaks, and reduce reliance on unstable grid supply” said Ken Davies, Programme Director of Battery & Energy Storage Tech Europe. “We will be placing the growing needs of the Data Centre sector at the forefront of the event, as the battery technology industry pivots towards solving the challenge of providing critical energy supply for this rapidly expanding sector.”
The April 2025 Iberian blackout served as a wake-up call for Europe's digital infrastructure. When a cascading grid failure disconnected Spain and Portugal from the European power system, data centres across the region experienced severe disruptions, with many forced to rely on emergency backup systems for extended periods. The incident, which resulted from voltage surges following the sudden loss of 2.5 gigawatts of generation capacity, underscored the vulnerability of facilities dependent on grid stability without adequate battery backup infrastructure.
Data centres require continuous, reliable power to prevent costly downtime and service disruptions. Traditional diesel generators are rapidly losing favour as operators seek to meet zero-emission mandates, creating significant opportunities for advanced lithium-ion battery systems, modular energy storage platforms and innovative backup solutions. Intelligent switchboards that toggle between utility, battery and alternative power sources in less than five milliseconds are becoming the new standard – a capability proven essential during events like the Iberian blackout.
The IT and telecommunications sector, which accounted for 33 percent of Europe's data centre energy storage market in 2024, requires large-capacity energy storage to avoid downtime, honour service level agreements and facilitate rapid data traffic. With AI-driven GPU clusters now drawing 30 to 60 kilowatts per rack continuously, power infrastructure must evolve rapidly to meet these unprecedented demands whilst providing resilience against grid instability.
Despite global competition, Europe possesses unique advantages to lead the data centre battery backup market. The Iberian blackout has accelerated regulatory attention on grid resilience, reinforcing the region's robust framework that includes the EU Battery Regulation and Battery Passport requirements, which create clear standards that promote quality, safety and circularity. Europe's emphasis on renewable energy integration and district heating systems that capture waste heat from data centres demonstrates the innovative thinking that can differentiate European solutions in the global marketplace.
Following the Iberian blackout, industry experts have emphasised the critical role that battery energy storage systems can play in enhancing grid resilience and preventing similar cascading failures. The incident demonstrated that even in regions with high renewable energy penetration, adequate energy storage and grid stabilisation technologies are essential for maintaining power quality and preventing widespread outages.
Battery & Energy Storage Europe will bring together thousands of energy professionals, engineers, entrepreneurs and investors to explore disruptive advances in battery technology, from next-generation materials and manufacturing processes to energy management systems, safety solutions and recycling technology. Following the lessons learned from the April 2025 blackout, discussions will include grid resilience, frequency control, voltage management and the integration of battery systems with renewable energy sources to prevent future large-scale outages.
The exhibition will host hundreds of technology companies, research and development centres, and start-ups presenting innovations in advanced materials, battery design, management systems, lifecycle management, digital product passports and recycling.
Organised by Fira de Barcelona in partnership with 104-Media, Battery & Energy Storage Tech Europe aims to strengthen European industrial and energy independence by serving as a strategic meeting point between research, industry and policy leaders. The conference programme will welcome international experts exploring the future of energy innovation in Europe and the roadmap to success for the European battery industry.
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