A German technology start-up is planning to build a major artificial intelligence data center in Bavaria, highlighting Europe’s growing push to control its own digital infrastructure and reduce dependence on foreign technology providers.
The company, Polarise, announced plans to construct a 30-megawatt AI data center in Amberg, Germany, with operations expected to begin by mid-2027. The project is designed to significantly expand Germany’s domestic computing power and strengthen national control over critical AI infrastructure.
A Push for Sovereign AI Infrastructure
The planned facility reflects a broader European effort to achieve what policymakers call “digital sovereignty.” Many AI data centers in Europe are currently operated by foreign companies, particularly large U.S. cloud providers.
According to Germany’s technology association Bitkom, AI data centers in Germany had about 530 megawatts of total capacity at the end of last year, but much of that capacity is controlled by non-German operators.
By building a domestically operated facility, Polarise hopes to expand Germany’s ability to run AI workloads independently. If completed as planned, the new center could double the amount of AI computing power operated by German companies.
European governments have become increasingly concerned about relying on foreign technology infrastructure amid rising geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, and differing regulations on digital content and data governance.
Scale and Investment
The Amberg project will begin with 30 megawatts of capacity, but it is designed to expand to as much as 120 megawatts, which would make it one of the larger AI-focused data centers in Germany.
The initial phase of construction is expected to cost hundreds of millions of euros, covering the physical infrastructure such as buildings, cooling systems, and electrical equipment. The price does not include AI chips, which could significantly increase the total investment depending on the type and number of processors installed.
Unlike many large technology projects in Europe, the company said the data center will be privately financed without government subsidies, though the final investment amount will depend on demand from companies renting computing capacity or installing their own servers.
Polarise already operates 13 data centers in Germany and abroad, positioning the firm as an emerging domestic competitor in Europe’s growing cloud and AI infrastructure market.
Energy and Sustainability
Power consumption is one of the biggest challenges for AI data centers. These facilities require massive amounts of electricity to run thousands of processors continuously.
To address energy concerns, Polarise plans to partner with WV Energie to build wind and solar power facilities alongside the data center, along with battery storage systems that can stabilize electricity supply.
This renewable energy approach is increasingly important as AI infrastructure expands at the same time global energy prices remain volatile and governments push for lower-carbon digital infrastructure.
A Growing Global AI Infrastructure Race
The Polarise project is part of a broader race to build the physical infrastructure needed for artificial intelligence. Major technology companies such as Google and Amazon often operate data centers of 100 megawatts or more, showing how rapidly computing demand is growing worldwide.
For Europe, the challenge is not just building AI systems but owning the infrastructure that runs them. Control over computing capacity increasingly determines who can train advanced AI models, process large datasets, and maintain technological independence.
If successful, the Bavarian data center could become a key step in Europe’s effort to build a self-reliant AI ecosystem, ensuring that critical digital capabilities remain within the region’s control rather than concentrated in foreign cloud platforms.
