IT & Tech 12.04.2026

6 min read

Efficiency gains, energy demand and sustainability have always been—and remain—critical concerns for data-center operations. The synaforce data center in Hofkirchen, Lower Bavaria, is a trailblazer in sustainable computing. This hyper-modern facility relies entirely on renewable, emissions-free power for its infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

What is a data center?

In 2023, data centers are a concrete lever for companies because the topic directly governs scalable compute capacity, energy efficiency and compliance. This article uses synaforce as a case study to show which requirements, KPIs and operational steps matter in practice.

100 % green power as the foundation

Under Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG), synaforce generates a large share of its data-center electricity with on-site photovoltaic systems, actively supporting the energy transition. In addition to this existing sustainable generation, since January 2023 synaforce has sourced all externally purchased power for its data center exclusively from renewable sources. The move is another milestone in the company’s sustainability strategy and underscores its commitment to climate protection.

“We run our data center on 100 % green power. From day one, our facilities have operated at a very high energy-efficiency level (PUE under 1.1). Last year, we pushed that figure even lower with modern metering and building-management technology. An expansion of our photovoltaic arrays now covers 25 % of our total energy needs. Since the start of 2023, the remaining power has been sourced entirely from renewables. These measures let us cut operating costs while making a real contribution to sustainability and emissions reduction. An energy audit completed with flying colors in December 2022 (DIN-EN 16274-1) officially validated our energy-saving efforts.”
— Peter Hartl, CEO, synaforce

Our responsibility as a high-end data center provider

As a high-end data center solutions provider, synaforce acknowledges its responsibility to protect our planet. Our goal has always been—and remains—to minimize environmental impact and make a measurable contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions. By fully transitioning to renewable energy and operating in a certified climate-neutral manner, synaforce is setting an important example for a sustainable future.

“In addition, we use highly efficient cooling and UPS systems at all our locations, enabling us to reduce our energy consumption to a minimum. Thanks to these and many other measures, we now achieve a PUE (a metric for data center energy efficiency) of less than 1.1, placing us among the most energy-efficient data centers worldwide alongside just a handful of peers,” adds Tobias Lehner, CTO of synaforce.

“To further reduce our carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the environment, synaforce will continue to implement innovative solutions and technologies to meet its sustainability goals and continuously optimize energy efficiency. We assure you this is not the end of our efforts toward a carbon-neutral data center,” Lehner continues.

PUE in the industry context

The Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is the key metric for data center energy efficiency. It measures the ratio between a data center’s total energy consumption and the energy used solely for IT operations. The closer the value is to 1.0, the more efficiently the supplied energy is actually used for computing. Anything above 1.0 represents overhead for cooling, UPS systems, and lighting.

According to the latest Uptime Institute Global Data Center Survey, the industry average PUE is around 1.58 to 1.7. Even major hyperscalers typically achieve values between 1.1 and 1.2. With a PUE below 1.1, synaforce ranks alongside Google, Meta, and Microsoft—albeit as a mid-sized German provider. For customers, this means two key benefits: lower variable energy costs passed through in hosting models, and a better climate footprint in their own Scope 3 reporting, which CSRD-mandated companies have been required to disclose since 2024.

Photovoltaics and power procurement: the hybrid strategy

Combining self-generation with certified green power purchasing is a pragmatic way to achieve 100 percent renewable energy without being entirely dependent on in-house production. Our own photovoltaic systems cover 25 percent of total energy demand, with the remainder sourced via power purchase agreements backed by renewable energy certificates. This strategy ensures reliable supply even during winter months with lower solar output and at peak load times.

The approach is scalable. Additional photovoltaic capacity, potential wind energy projects, or power purchase agreements with local producers can gradually increase the share of self-generated energy. For data centers in rural regions like Hofkirchen, this also creates collaboration opportunities with agricultural operations or municipal energy providers seeking long-term off-take agreements for their own installations.

Cooling technology and building management systems as efficiency levers

A low PUE cannot be attributed solely to renewable energy sourcing. The real efficiency gains come from cooling and building management systems. Modern free cooling uses outside air during cooler months to directly cool servers, eliminating the need for energy-intensive compressor-based cooling. Adiabatic cooling methods reduce water consumption compared to traditional evaporative cooling. High-efficiency UPS systems minimize conversion losses on the power supply side.

Our measurement and building management systems track every kilowatt-hour separately—IT load, cooling, UPS, lighting, and infrastructure. This granular transparency is essential for continuous optimization. Without detailed measurement, PUE optimization remains speculative. With precise data points, inefficient subsystems can be identified and improved before they significantly impact the overall balance sheet.

What this means for customers

Customers who operate their IT infrastructure in a synaforce data center gain several advantages. First, there’s the direct climate impact: every hour of compute time is billed with significantly less CO₂ than in data centers with typical PUE values and power mixes. Second, regulatory transparency for CSRD, the EU Taxonomy, and industry-specific sustainability reports. Proof is provided via documented origin certificates, PUE reports, and audit confirmations.

Third, financial protection against rising energy and CO₂ prices. Power from in-house generation and long-term green-energy contracts is far less exposed to price spikes than conventional wholesale electricity. For hosting customers, this translates into more predictable costs over multi-year contract periods. Fourth, a competitive edge in public tenders, where sustainability criteria are increasingly used as award criteria. Municipalities, government agencies, and public-sector bodies prioritize data centers with verifiable climate credentials.

Outlook: What’s next

synaforce’s sustainability strategy is not a final state but an ongoing process. The planned expansion of data-center capacity will be synchronized with the growth of in-house power generation. New heat-recovery concepts—using server waste heat for municipal district-heating networks or commercial users—are technically feasible and are being widely discussed across the sector. Such coupling models push overall efficiency far beyond the raw PUE figure.

For the German market, synaforce sets an example of how mid-sized providers can keep pace with hyperscalers in the sustainability debate. The decisive factors are documented metrics, transparent evidence, and a willingness to keep investing in efficiency measures. This three-pronged approach will determine, in the coming years, which data centers win contracts in regulated industries—and which will find themselves under increasing market pressure without climate credentials.

Regulatory backdrop: CSRD, EU Taxonomy and EEDS

Sustainability demands on data centers don’t arise in a vacuum. Several EU regulations are driving the issue forward simultaneously. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) obliges large and mid-sized companies to report systematically on environmental, social, and governance aspects. Part of that reporting covers Scope-3 emissions, which include the data-center emissions of the IT services they use.

The EU Taxonomy defines which economic activities qualify as sustainable. For data-center operations, that means concrete thresholds for PUE, water consumption, and energy origin. The Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and its German transposition in the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG) require larger data centers to publish energy metrics and meet minimum efficiency standards. Operators that can’t deliver today risk short-term competitive disadvantages, mid-term penalties, or even license revocation for certain customer segments.

Why German SMEs benefit

For mid-sized German users, a data center like synaforce’s offers a predictable, cost-conscious route to climate-friendly digitalization. Shifting workloads to a PUE-efficient, green-operated facility not only cuts the direct CO₂ footprint of the IT landscape but also slashes the documentation and audit burden under CSRD and industry-specific sustainability standards.

At the same time, it delivers geographic proximity that many global cloud providers cannot match. German legal frameworks, short audit distances, German-language support, and GDPR-compliant processing are often non-negotiable prerequisites for regulated sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and the public sector. The combination of high efficiency and local roots is therefore a uniquely German competitive edge that pays off both economically and ecologically.

Real-world Examples: How These Measures Work in Practice

A look at the tangible effects in day-to-day data center operations shows how efficiency measures translate into real-world impact. A server rack with 10 kilowatts of IT load in a data center with a typical PUE of 1.6 generates around 6 kilowatts of additional overhead per hour. At synaforce, with a PUE below 1.1, the overhead is less than 1 kilowatt. Over a year, the difference adds up to around 44,000 kilowatt-hours per rack—equivalent to several thousand euros in cost savings at current electricity prices.

When multiplied across the rack count of a mid-sized enterprise, these savings reach six-figure annual figures. The environmental impact is equally dramatic: an IT workload of 10 kilowatts produces roughly 41 tonnes of CO₂ over a year with Germany’s standard energy mix, compared to virtually zero in an eco-powered data center. For companies committed to climate neutrality or required to report under the CSRD, this represents a ready-to-use contribution at the infrastructure level—one that doesn’t need to be offset or adjusted through additional measures, freeing up budget for other sustainability initiatives.

Last but not least, it provides a clear foundation for communication with stakeholders, customers, and employees. Documenting a climate-friendly IT infrastructure lends credibility to sustainability reports, tenders, and customer communications. This not only strengthens external perception but also streamlines internal prioritization of digitalization projects tied to energy and CO₂ impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does PUE mean and why is the value so important?

PUE stands for Power Usage Effectiveness. It measures the ratio between a data center’s total energy consumption and the energy used solely by IT equipment. The closer the value is to 1.0, the lower the overhead for cooling, UPS systems, and infrastructure. synaforce achieves a PUE below 1.1.

What percentage of energy is generated on-site via photovoltaics?

The on-site photovoltaic systems at the Hofkirchen facility cover 25 percent of total energy demand. Since January 2023, the remaining 75 percent has been sourced exclusively from certified green power generated from renewable sources.

What certifications does the synaforce data center hold?

In December 2022, an energy audit in accordance with DIN EN 16274-1 was successfully completed. The data centers also operate under ISO 27001 and DIN EN 50600 certified standards, which set stringent requirements for data protection, security, and energy efficiency.

What advantage does a low PUE value offer customers?

A low PUE translates to lower energy costs per compute hour and a better CO₂ balance sheet. For customers subject to CSRD reporting obligations or Scope 3 disclosures, it provides a ready-to-use verification of climate-friendly hosting. On-site generation also delivers cost stability against energy price spikes.

How does synaforce compare internationally?

With a PUE below 1.1, synaforce matches the efficiency levels of major hyperscalers such as Google, Meta, and Microsoft. The Uptime Institute’s industry average is significantly higher, at roughly 1.58 to 1.7. For a mid-sized German provider, this level of efficiency is exceptional.

Source of main image: synaforce / Data Center Hofkirchen (press photo)