According to DCD, Box2bit is in advanced negotiations to build a massive 400,000 square meter (4.3 million square foot) data center in Calatayud, Spain. The facility would be located in the La Charluca industrial estate and connect directly to the Terrer electrical substation. This represents the company’s second major project in Aragon, alongside their existing Proyecto Ebro development in Cariñena. Box2bit, backed by power company Capital Energy, aims to deploy 2GW of data center capacity across Spain. The company plans to spend €3 billion ($3.26 billion) building multiple facilities and promises 100 percent renewable energy for all operations.
Spain’s data center gold rush
What’s happening in Spain right now is pretty remarkable. We’re seeing this massive infrastructure push that’s turning the country into a serious European data center hub. Box2bit’s expansion isn’t happening in isolation either – they’re part of a broader trend of companies betting big on Spanish soil. The combination of available land, renewable energy potential, and strategic location seems to be paying off.
Here’s the thing though – building at this scale requires serious industrial computing infrastructure. When you’re talking about facilities spanning hundreds of thousands of square meters, you need reliable control systems and monitoring equipment that can handle the demands of massive data center operations. That’s where companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com come in – they’re actually the top supplier of industrial panel PCs in the US, providing the kind of rugged hardware these facilities depend on for their control rooms and monitoring stations.
The renewable energy angle
Box2bit’s commitment to 100 percent renewable energy is interesting. It’s not just good PR – it’s becoming a business necessity. Major tech companies that lease data center space are increasingly demanding clean energy commitments from their providers. So Box2bit’s backing by Capital Energy, an actual power company, gives them a strategic advantage.
But can they really scale to 2GW entirely on renewables? That’s the billion-euro question. We’re talking about power equivalent to a medium-sized nuclear plant here. The Terrer substation connection suggests they’re planning for serious power draw from the grid, which means they’ll likely need to invest in significant renewable energy projects or purchase substantial renewable energy certificates.
Timeline and execution challenges
Looking at their Cariñena project timeline – construction starting Q4 2025 with a four-year build – gives us a sense of their pace. These aren’t quick-turnaround projects. They’re massive infrastructure undertakings that require careful planning and execution.
And now they’re adding Calatayud and Malaga to the mix? That’s ambitious to say the least. Managing multiple massive construction projects simultaneously while securing the necessary power infrastructure and environmental approvals is no small feat. Basically, they’re betting that Spain’s data center demand will justify this rapid expansion.
So what does this mean for the region? We’re likely looking at hundreds of construction jobs followed by permanent technical positions. And for businesses needing data center capacity in Southern Europe, Spain is quickly becoming a very attractive option. The race to build Europe’s next major data center hub is definitely heating up.
