EnefG Amendment Eases Data Center Efficiency Rules
The EnefG amendment relaxes data center efficiency requirements: higher PUE limits, extended deadlines, and increased thresholds. What operators need to know.
6 min read
On June 24, 2026, the Federal Cabinet approved the amendment to the Energy Efficiency Act. It relaxes several requirements for data centers, extends deadlines, and raises the threshold at which a data center falls under the law. For operators, this means planning security. Municipal associations see softened climate goals. A look at what’s really at stake.
The Essentials in Brief
- PUE Limits Relaxed: Existing data centers must now achieve a PUE of 1.6 from mid-2027 and 1.4 by 2030, instead of the previously planned 1.5 and 1.3. For new builds the strict value remains 1.2, but the deadline to reach it is doubled from two to four years.
- Fewer Data Centers Affected: The threshold rises from 300 kilowatts of installed capacity to 500 kilowatts of IT performance. Smaller installations are thus excluded from the law entirely.
- Waste Heat Simplified: The mandatory waste heat utilization gives way to a simple cost-benefit analysis. Meanwhile, an EU procedure is already underway against Germany due to the delayed implementation.
Related:Where Nvidia’s Water Promise Actually Ends / 200 kW per Rack: firstcolos Rosbach Build
What Changes in the PUE Limit Values
Power Usage Effectiveness, short PUE, is the central metric of the law. It measures how much electricity a data centre consumes beyond the pure IT load, primarily for cooling. A value of 1,2 means that for every kilowatt-hour of computing power, an additional 0,2 kilowatt-hours are required for operation. The closer to 1,0, the more efficient.
The amendment relieves pressure here. For existing data centres, the required value rises from 1,5 to 1,6 as of mid-2027 and from 1,3 to 1,4 as of 2030. This is justified by redundancy requirements of older plants that cannot be trimmed arbitrarily efficient. For new builds, the strict value of 1,2 remains, but the deadline to achieve it extends from two to four years on average per year.
Exactly at this point, the digital association Bitkom had wanted to make adjustments. Its argument: A PUE of 1,2 is often unattainable with traditional air-cooling in operation, a target of 1,3 would have been more realistic. The extended deadline is the compromise that remained from that.
| Requirement | Previously planned | After the amendment |
|---|---|---|
| Existing, PUE from 2027 | 1,5 | 1,6 |
| Existing, PUE from 2030 | 1,3 | 1,4 |
| New build, deadline for PUE 1,2 | two years | four years |
| Application scope threshold | 300 kW connection capacity | 500 kW IT performance |
Who will be exempt from the law in future
The most consequential change is not in the thresholds but in the definition. Previously, a data centre with a rated connection power of 300 kilowatts was subject to regulation. In future, the installed IT capacity will be the criterion. The threshold will be set at 500 kilowatts. As a result, numerous smaller facilities will be completely excluded from the scope.
Reporting obligations will also shrink. The pool of data centres required to report their figures will be narrowed considerably. The previous obligation to provide information to district heating operators is removed. In return, the competent Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) announced that it will step up spot checks in future.
The sticking point: waste heat and climate targets
Criticism ignites over waste heat. Previously, the law required operators, in principle, to avoid or make use of any waste heat that arises. This general obligation is replaced by the amendment with a purely cost‑benefit analysis without binding implementation. Regional associations warn that this will result in valuable information for local heat planning being lost.
Even in power supply, the deadline is being pushed back. The requirement to cover consumption on a balance‑sheet 100 percent from renewable energies is shifted from 2027 to 2030. The staged minimum quotas for reused waste heat of 10, 15 to 20 percent remain in place, but are flanked by new exemptions.
Bitkom calls the amendment a partial correction of impractical specifications. At the same time, the association cautions that treating PUE as the sole metric falls short, because it says nothing about where the electricity comes from or what happens to the heat. The truth lies between the two camps: more realism for operators, fewer levers for climate protection.
Why the Time Is Running Out
Above everything there is European pressure. The underlying EU efficiency directive should have been implemented by Germany by 10. Oktober 2025. Because it was missed, the EU Commission is launching an infringement procedure. The amendment is also an attempt to close an open procedure.
At the same time, the federal government is positioning itself as an AI hub. The national data center strategy decided in März 2026 is intended to facilitate settlements. Efficiency requirements, which are considered impractical, do not fit this goal. The relaxations are therefore not just concessions, but also location policy.
What Operators Should Do Now
For the industry, four clear but calm steps emerge.
- Check Classification. If you are close to the new 500-kilowatt threshold, you should accurately determine the installed IT performance. Whether that determines whether the law still applies.
- Re-calculate the PUE roadmap. The shifted thresholds and deadlines alter investment planning for cooling and modernization. The gained flexibility can be used strategically.
- Still consider waste heat. Even without a hard obligation, waste heat utilization remains a location and image factor. Municipalities and customers increasingly ask about it.
- Observe the EU timetable. As long as the infringement procedure is ongoing, the timetable may still shift. Those who follow the development will not be caught off guard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG) amendment?
The amendment is a change to the German Energy Efficiency Act, which the Federal Cabinet decided on 24 June 2026. It implements an EU directive and relaxes several efficiency obligations for data centers.
Which Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) value will apply to existing data centers in the future?
A PUE of 1.6 from mid‑2027 and 1.4 from 2030. Previously 1.5 and 1.3 were planned. For new builds the value remains 1.2, and the deadline for that is doubled to four years.
Will my data center still be covered by the law?
What matters in future is the installed IT performance. The law applies from 500 kilowatts, previously it was 300 kilowatts of connected capacity. Smaller plants are excluded from the scope.
Why is the law being amended now?
Germany would have had to implement the underlying EU efficiency directive by October 2025. Due to the delay, an EU infringement procedure is underway. The amendment is intended to end this procedure.
Editorial Picks
Image source: AI-generated (Juli 2026)
