Burgenland sets 10 conditions for data centres
Monday 5th October 2026 on 17:15 in
Austria
Burgenland’s Social Democratic-Green government has approved a set of 10 requirements for data centres, ORF reported. The rules call for facilities to use renewable energy, consume far less water than other data centres and help reduce grid costs for residents.
Deputy Governor Anja Haider-Wallner said the government was open to new technologies but would not give data centres a free pass. Governor Hans Peter Doskozil said it wanted a model with a strong environmental focus.
The rules require energy generation and storage to be planned together. Backup generators must not run on fossil fuels and must be supported by battery systems. Developers must also plan how to use waste heat, potentially supplying district heating to homes and businesses or supporting agriculture. Projects should minimise soil sealing and consider how facilities could be used after their initial purpose.
Doskozil said talks about data centres in Burgenland were under way, but he could not provide details for legal reasons.
The state government also visited a new ME/CFS treatment facility in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, where eight patients are receiving inpatient care. The six-week therapy is scientifically monitored and documented, and patients’ relatives are also involved. The state is currently funding the facility. Doskozil said the federal government would eventually need to contribute, and called on social insurance providers to recognise the seriousness of the illness and the need to cover treatment.
Doskozil said Burgenland would comply with its budget stabilisation law and described the state’s finances as stable. He said the sale of housing promotion loans would be completed next year and that the state could afford its hospital programme. He also said the state holding company would be restructured under its new leadership.
The governing parties said their cooperation was working well. The opposition Austrian People’s Party called for clarification over the timing of the housing loan sale, saying a sale spread over two years raised questions about the state’s financial planning and budget.