According to JLL's Global Data Centres Outlook 2026 report, the global sector is preparing for a three trillion dollar investment supercycle by 2030, when global capacity could double to 200 GW due to Artificial Intelligence.


In a statement, Andreia Almeida, Head of Research at JLL Portugal, emphasises that the country offers unique conditions by combining clean energy with proximity to the business hubs of Lisbon and Porto.

The country's competitiveness is based on energy availability: in 2024, renewable sources (hydro, wind, biomass and solar) accounted for 71% of electricity consumption in Portugal. In addition, the country has been a net energy exporter since 2016 and has a robust transport network managed by REN.

Currently, the Portuguese market is dominated by on-premise centres concentrated in Greater Lisbon, but the scale of new projects is changing the sector's paradigm, shifting it towards massive infrastructure from north to south of the country.

The national landscape is currently led by Covilhã, which hosts the largest operational centre, owned by Altice Portugal, with 75,500 m² of floor space and capacity for 50,000 servers. However, the future of the sector lies in Sines, where the largest data centre in the country and one of the most important in southern Europe is being developed, with a capacity of up to 1.2 GW, powered by 100% green energy.

At the same time, the Lisbon region continues to attract specialised investment, with projects such as Atlas Edge in Carnaxide, which operates without water consumption, and Merlin Properties' new infrastructure in Vila Franca de Xira, which reinforces the company's commitment to the Iberian market with an expected load of 36 MW.