Beyond the hype: Poland’s data centre momentum explained

The European data centre market has been on an extraordinary run – billions in capital flowing into new facilities, hyperscalers racing to secure land and power. Within that bigger picture, Poland has started to carve out a notable position. Is the hype justified?

I would not call it hype – the numbers are real and the momentum is tangible. Poland is certainly not going to displace Frankfurt or Amsterdam overnight; those markets have decades of head start and enormous installed capacity. But what is happening here is genuinely compelling. Poland’s data centre market was valued at approximately $1.28 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach around $3.15 billion by 2031, growing at an annual rate of roughly 20% percent. For a market that barely registered on most investors’ radars five years ago, that is a remarkable trajectory.

What has changed to put Poland on the map?

A combination of pull and push factors. On the pull side, Poland offers things that are becoming increasingly scarce in mature Western European hubs – available land, competitive costs, and skilled workforce. On the push side, the traditional FLAPD markets – Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin – are hitting constraints: land prices, planning bottlenecks, grid congestion. Investors and operators are actively looking for the next tier of European locations, and Poland keeps coming up at the top of that list alongside markets such as the Nordics and the Iberian Peninsula.

So Poland is part of a broader diversification trend rather than an outlier?

Exactly. It would be misleading to present Poland as the centre of the European data centre universe – it is not, and it does not need to be. What Poland offers is a fast-growing, well-positioned market within Central and Eastern Europe, where structural demand for cloud, AI and digital services is accelerating. Data centres are emerging as one of the most dynamic segments within that broader recovery.

What specific advantages does Poland bring to the table?

Several factors converge. First, strategic geography – Poland is the largest economy in Central and Eastern Europe, positioned at the crossroads between Western markets and the rapidly digitising east. That makes it a natural interconnection hub. Second, infrastructure fundamentals are strong: extensive fibre-optic networks, improving power grids, and a deep pool of qualified engineers and IT talent. Third, the cost proposition remains compelling – land and construction costs are still significantly lower than in Western European hubs, yet the quality of output is comparable.

And the macro picture supports all of that?

It does. Poland’s GDP growth continues to outperform the majority of European economies, which gives investors confidence in the medium-term demand story. When you combine structural digital demand with macro resilience and competitive costs, the investment case essentially writes itself.

Which global players are committing capital?

The roll call is here. Microsoft announced a roughly $750 million investment to expand hyperscale cloud infrastructure in Poland. Google Cloud, AWS, Equinix, Data4 and Vantage Data Centers all have active or expanding operations here. Established domestic operators like Atman, Beyond.pl and Polcom are scaling up as well.

What signal does that send to the broader market?

A very powerful one, it tells institutional investors and construction contractors alike that Poland is a long-term play, not a speculative one. It also creates a multiplier effect – each new facility needs power infrastructure, cooling systems, security, fibre connectivity, all of which generate further investment and employment.

Warsaw dominates Poland’s data centre capacity today. Can the city sustain that growth?

Warsaw currently accounts for around 80% of national capacity, and for good reason – it offers the densest fibre connectivity, the deepest talent pool, and proximity to the majority of enterprise customers. However, the city is beginning to face real grid-capacity constraints: available power connections are limited as well as wait times for power substations lengthened.

So where does growth go next?

Operators and developers are looking seriously at secondary cities. Poznań already hosts Beyond.pl’s flagship campus, which sources 100% renewable electricity. Kraków, Wrocław and the Tri-City area are all gaining attention. The government’s plan to establish a National Data Processing Centre – Krajowe Centrum Przetwarzania Danych – also signals willingness to distribute digital infrastructure more broadly.

Energy is obviously critical for data centres. How does Poland’s energy mix affect investor appetite?

This is the question I am asked most frequently. Data centres consume lot of energy so a reliable, affordable and increasingly green power supply is non-negotiable. Poland has historically been dependent on coal, but the energy transition is accelerating – renewables already account for roughly 30% of the electricity mix, and the country is targeting well over 50% by 2030.

Are operators waiting for that target to be met, or acting now?

Data centre operators are increasingly signing long-term power purchase agreements with renewable-energy producers, and some are investigating options of on-site solar generation. The direction of travel is clear, and those who move early are securing the best terms.

From a pure investment standpoint, what makes data centres different from logistics or office?

KB: The fundamentals are very attractive. Data centre leases tend to be long-term – often 10 to 15 years or more – which gives investors predictable, stable cash flows. The tenants are typically investment-grade counterparties: hyperscalers, major telecoms, banks. The assets play an essential role in the digital economy, which means demand is structurally growing rather than cyclical. At the same time, the sector requires specialist knowledge — power engineering, cooling technology, digital connectivity – in addition to conventional real estate metrics. That complexity creates a barrier to entry, but also a premium for those who build the right expertise.

What is your outlook for the next three to five years?

I am genuinely optimistic. AI and machine-learning workloads are generating unprecedented demand for compute capacity — and that demand has to be housed somewhere physical. Poland offers a compelling combination of scale, talent, cost efficiency, improving energy infrastructure and government willingness to support the sector. Challenges around grid capacity, planning frameworks and ESG compliance will need to be addressed, but the trajectory is clear.

Any final thought for our readers at the British Polish Chamber of Commerce?

Data centres sit at the intersection of technology, energy and real estate – three sectors where British and Polish businesses already collaborate closely. The opportunity is real and growing. I look forward to seeing BPCC members play an active role in capturing it.