EU policy on data centers' integration in electricity grids: Thomas Le Goff involved with the CERRE

22 April 2025

Thomas Le Goff (Télécom Paris, left) & Oliver Inderwildi (Univ. Cambridge), source CERRE

Thomas Le Goff, assistant professor at Télécom Paris, works with the Center on Regulation in Europe (CERRE), a Brussels-based think tank which promotes robust and consistent regulation in network industries.

CERRE’s work in regulation policy has been very influential at the EU level and is often cited by EU institutions. The think tank, which members include regulators, businesses, institutions and universities, widely contributed to the shaping of digital and energy policies within the EU.

Thomas Le Goff will collaborate with Oliver Inderwildi (University of Cambridge) and Fridrik Baldursson (Reykjavik University) to explore the increasing tension between digital growth and energy constraints in Europe.

Indeed, the rapid expansion of AI and data centres is driving an unprecedented demand for electricity. However, Europe’s energy infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. They will publish a full-fledge policy report in September 2025 to present their findings, providing their insights and policy recommendations.

Thomas Le Goff’s contribution will focus on designing flexible regulation strategies to balance the need for new data centres in Europe and net zero objectives, while preserving natural resources and preventing environmental harms. It will include a comparative analysis of legal measures taken by different EU or non-EU countries, to identify best practices and optimal state-interventions.

Source: Digital Growth, Data Centres & the Grid: A Balancing Act Between Energy Realities & Digital Competitiveness