Spain is one of the most attractive countries in the world for the location of data centres. This is the finding of the Data Center Location Index 2021 report compiled by the Dutch consulting firm Arcadis. It is in particular the most attractive country in southern Europe, ahead of  neighbours like Italy and Portugal.

The study awards scores based on eight criteria: GDP per capita, building permit management, electricity prices, energy security, cybersecurity, domestic market size, number of mobile broadband subscriptions and average download speed. Spain, which has been chosen as the location for several data centres in recent years, particularly stands out for aspects such as cybersecurity (93.3 points out of 100) and the reliability of the energy supply (82.4).

Return on investment
The United States, Singapore and Japan top the world rankings, followed by Sweden and Norway. In this select list of 50 countries, Spain ranks 30th in the world and number 15 in Europe. Arcadis compiles this index with the aim of providing useful information for companies looking for locations to install their new data centres.

The selection of a suitable location is a critical factor that can determine whether the investment will be profitable, and ensure the company's sustainability in a geographic area.

Roadmap
The report also includes a roadmap to guide the process of building a new data centre and flag up the problems that can currently affect the sector, from climate change to COVID 19.

Natalie Sauber, Market Intelligence Lead at Arcadis UK, explains: "Our lives are increasingly moving online, leading to a surge in data creation and consumption. This in turn requires us to build a resilient and growing infrastructure. While each project will ultimately depend on a unique combination of factors, this index is meant to provide a starting point to help clients think through the decision criteria influencing the optimal location".