All reports are conclusive: Barcelona’s economic growth in the coming years is intrinsically linked to the expansion of digital infrastructures, firmly positioning it as the Mediterranean’s digital port. A recent study, “Barcelona, Digital Port of the Mediterranean,” conducted by Foundry in collaboration with the Cambra de Comerç de Barcelona for DE-CIX and Digital Realty, predicts a +435% increase in data centre investment between 2023 and 2025, jumping from €241 million announced for 2023 to €1.047 billion in 2025.
Considering that every million euros of investment generates €7 million in GDP, it is estimated that Barcelona will generate €7.235 billion in just two years. This amount would represent a 7.7% increase in the city’s GDP in 2022. However, not all the impact is direct. The report includes direct impact from construction and operation activities of data centres (€3.078 billion), indirect impact (data centre supply chain), estimated at €2.534 billion, and induced impact (local consumption of goods and services), which could be €1.623 billion.
Additionally, the report estimates the creation of 2.128 jobs: 1.030 during the data centres’ construction phase, 713 skilled jobs during the operational phases of the facilities, and 385 extended jobs, which will provide services to data centre workers.
Although the report focuses on data centre investments, it also highlights the fundamental role of the Barcelona Cable Landing Station (Barcelona CLS) located in Sant Adrià de Besòs. The mayor of this municipality participated in the presentation of the DE-CIX and Digital Realty report, noting that the arrival of Barcelona CLS in 2022 marked a turning point, contributing to the increased investment in data centres.
Barcelona CLS: The Engine Driving the Digital Port
Barcelona stands as a digital port thanks to an ecosystem (data centres, neutral interconnection points, cloud service providers, etc.) centred around Barcelona CLS. This infrastructure, capable of hosting up to eight submarine cables and processing 400 terabits per second, enables Barcelona to be the gateway connecting Europe, North Africa, and the Near East.
This enhanced connectivity will boost sectors such as the digital economy, technological centres of excellence for multinational companies or local businesses, and other key sectors (audiovisual and video games).
The report indicates that one of the major challenges is for administrations to support this growth by simplifying administrative procedures for data centre construction and ensuring the electrical supply needed for these infrastructures.
