AI is causing the data center industry to grow fast. The amount of data center space should almost double by 2030, going from 103 gigawatts to almost 200. JLL’s Global Data Centers Outlook 2026 says this industry could see about $3 trillion in investments if the real estate market doesn't get too expensive.
Portugal is becoming a more important place for data centers in Europe.
Energy: Portugal's Advantage
Portugal is attractive because it has a stable energy supply and has put money into renewable energy for a long time. In 2024, about 71% of the country's electricity came from renewable sources like water, wind, biomass, and solar power. Portugal has exported more energy than it imports since 2016 and has 22,813 MW of energy production ability.
The country's power grid, which is 9,661 km long and run by REN, makes the energy supply even more reliable. This is very important for big companies that need a lot of data center space.
Most of the data centers in Portugal are in Lisbon because it's easy to connect to other countries and close to business centers. Many companies still have their own data centers for their specific needs.
Big Projects: Covilhã and Sines
The biggest data center now operating in Portugal is in Covilhã, owned by Altice Portugal. It opened in 2013, covers 75,500 square meters, can hold up to 50,000 servers, and has LEED certification. The Uptime Institute recognizes it as Tier III.
The Sines Data Center is a big project planned for the future. It will use only green energy and have a capacity of 1.2 GW, making it one of the biggest in Southern Europe.
Near Lisbon, AtlasEdge runs a 30 MW data center in Carnaxide that uses only renewable energy and doesn't use any water. Also, Merlin Properties is building a new 36 MW data center in Vila Franca de Xira, adding to its data center space in Spain and Portugal.
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