Subscribe
23 Billion Investments Expected for a Sustainable Technological Future and in the Name of International Digital Progress
In the next five years, Italy is preparing to make a significant leap in the European technological landscape, with investments expected for 23 billion euros in the data centre sector. This is what emerges from the recent report by TEHA Group (The European House – Ambrosetti), presented at the Technology Forum 2025, scheduled for May 8 and 9 in Stresa. An opportunity that not only strengthens the positioning of our country in the digital world but also highlights its potential that is still partly unexpressed.
Italy: a growing technological hub
Italy currently hosts 7.6% of the data centres present in the European Union, with Milan establishing itself as the main national hub. Lombardy alone represents over 60% of the installed capacity expected by the end of 2024, estimated at 513 MW. But the real leap in quality will come with the evolution of “Hyperscale” data centres, large, centralized infrastructures that, by 2029, will constitute 60% of global capacity, flanked by distributed solutions to ensure efficiency and capillarity.
This growth is not accidental. Italy is located in a strategic position in the Mediterranean, with submarine connections that make it a fundamental crossroads for data traffic between Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Added to this is a varied energy mix and one of the most competitive connection latencies in Europe, two key factors for the efficiency of modern data centres.
A technological ecosystem to be enhanced
The Italian technological potential is manifold. The presence of universities and research centres of excellence, a growing network of innovative startups and the presence of large international players such as Microsoft, Bloom Energy and Engie — partners in TEHA’s vision — are fundamental pieces to build a competitive and resilient digital ecosystem.
The TEHA report proposes the creation of a “Net Zero Digital Energy Hub”, an integrated infrastructure that combines information technologies and sustainable energy solutions. The objective is twofold: to reduce the environmental impact of the IT sector and to guarantee greater energy independence and security. An ambitious project that, if realized, would place Italy at the forefront in combining digital innovation and green transition.
The challenges to face
Despite the rosy outlook, the path is not without obstacles. The high cost of energy in Italy is one of the main limiting factors, together with the lack of specialized labour and energy infrastructures that require major modernization interventions.
To overcome these limits, it will be essential to invest in the training of new skills, with academic and professional paths oriented to digital technologies and energy management. At the same time, it will be necessary to promote industrial policies capable of attracting foreign investments and incentivizing public-private collaboration, facilitating access to renewable sources and improving energy distribution and storage capacity.
The Italian digital future passes through data centres
The expansion of data centres is not just a question of computational capacity: it represents a driving force for the entire digital economy. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the Internet of Things and emerging technologies will find the infrastructure needed to thrive in the new digital hubs. The Technology Forum 2025 will address these issues from a long-term perspective, highlighting the synergies between innovation, sustainability and economic development.
Ultimately, Italy has a great opportunity ahead of it: to become one of the protagonists of the European digital transformation. With targeted investments, strategic vision and the ability to overcome structural criticalities, our country can build a future in which technology is not only a tool for progress, but also a driver of inclusion, competitiveness and sustainability. The competition is fierce, but the technological potential of the Bel Paese has always been there for all to see and infrastructures are needed that are ready to manage the future.
Alessandro Fiorentino