The Móra la Nova, Tarragona, bid to host one of Europe’s future AI gigafactories aims to rely on energy efficiency as one of its main arguments. The project proposes a scalable installation starting with up to 55 MW in the initial phase and expanding to 150 MW, with 24/7 renewable coverage, nearly zero water consumption for cooling, and an energy efficiency target among the highest in the sector.
The key points of Móra la Nova’s AI gigafactory in 20 seconds
- The proposal begins with an initial phase of up to 55 MW and could grow to 150 MW.
- The project aims to operate with renewable power 24 hours a day.
- The design forecasts near-zero water use for cooling.
- The efficiency goal is at a PUE between 1.15 and 1.2.
- The future Els Aubals substation will be a key element to ensure the initial electrical capacity.
This initiative is part of the European race to deploy large computing infrastructures capable of training and running advanced artificial intelligence models. Such facilities require huge amounts of electricity and house thousands of accelerators, high-speed networks, and storage systems, making energy availability one of the most critical factors in choosing a location.
In this context, Móra la Nova seeks to present a bid not only based on available capacity but also on how that energy is supplied and managed.
Up to 150 MW capacity with phased growth
The plan starts with an initial stage of up to 55 MW, supported by the future Els Aubals substation.
From there, infrastructure could be gradually expanded to reach 150 MW of power.
A phased strategy allows adapting growth to actual demand and the availability of electrical infrastructure. Building all capacity from day one can be unnecessarily expensive if compute volumes do not immediately reach the full scale.
The modular approach also facilitates aligning the integration of new AI systems with technological evolution of accelerators.
Electrical power is especially relevant because new AI data centers consume much more per rack than conventional centers. Current GPUs and other accelerators require much higher electrical densities and demand a reassessment of both power supply and cooling systems.
Therefore, a 150 MW facility can no longer be seen simply as a server building. It requires substations, high-capacity connections, backup systems, and long-term energy planning.
24-hour renewable coverage
One of the most ambitious aspects of the bid is the intention to operate with renewable energy coverage around the clock.
This isn’t just about offsetting annual consumption through certificates or renewable contracts, but about bringing electrical supply closer to continuous hour-by-hour coverage.
This nuance matters because data centers operate permanently.
Solar generation can cover much of the demand during daylight hours but disappears at night. Wind power is variable as well. Achieving continuous renewable coverage requires combining different generation sources, storage, energy contracts, and grid backup.
Information shared about the bid highlights this combination as a key differentiator.
Ribera d’Ebre also boasts a long-standing energy tradition and relevant electrical infrastructure, factors that may help explain why the area has been selected for this project.
The challenge will be to demonstrate that such supply can be maintained at the scale required for a facility of up to 150 MW.
A PUE between 1.15 and 1.2
Another announced goal is to reach a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) between 1.15 and 1.2.
PUE is one of the most common metrics used to measure data center energy efficiency.
It is calculated by dividing total electrical consumption of the facility by the energy used directly by IT equipment.
A PUE of 2.0 means, simplistically, that twice as much energy is used for cooling, power distribution, and auxiliary systems as for the IT load.
The closer the PUE approaches 1.0, the less energy is used for these additional functions.
A value of 1.15-1.2 would be competitive for a next-generation facility, although the actual PUE will depend on operational conditions, load, external temperature, and cooling technology.
| PUE | Approximate interpretation |
|---|---|
| 2.0 | High auxiliary energy relative to IT load |
| 1.5 | Improved efficiency |
| 1.2 | High-efficiency data center |
| 1.0 | Theoretical limit: all energy goes directly to IT load |
The Generalitat notes that advances in design and cooling reduce auxiliary energy consumption significantly compared to facilities built a decade ago.
Cooling with nearly zero water consumption
Water is another critical point in data center expansion.
Some evaporative cooling technologies can consume large quantities, especially in warm regions and during high-temperature periods.
Móra la Nova’s bid proposes nearly zero water use for cooling, pointing toward systems that minimize or eliminate the use of evaporated water as the primary heat dissipation mechanism.
This aspect is particularly relevant in Spain, where water availability and periodic droughts have made water consumption for large infrastructures a growing concern.
Artificial intelligence also complicates the issue because state-of-the-art accelerators concentrate more thermal power in increasingly smaller spaces.
This has driven the industry to adopt direct liquid cooling solutions and closed-loop systems where coolant is continuously reused.
Reducing water use doesn’t mean eliminating cooling needs; it involves shifting to systems capable of extracting and dissipating heat with significantly less water.
European gigafactories will require much more infrastructure than just GPUs
The Catalan bid should be viewed within a much larger European program.
The European Union is working on deploying AI gigafactories, large-scale computing facilities designed to train and run advanced models.
These infrastructures will be significantly larger than current AI Factories and will aim to gather vast numbers of accelerators, storage, and network capacity.
The challenge isn’t just acquiring enough GPUs.
Each new cluster requires tens or hundreds of megawatts of electricity, cooling systems, high-capacity fiber, and a supply chain capable of keeping the installation operational.
Site availability and energy supply could become as important as hardware access.
That’s precisely where Móra la Nova aims to compete.
Ribera d’Ebre seeks to reshape its energy profile
The project would also have regional implications.
Ribera d’Ebre has traditionally been linked to energy production and now hopes to leverage that experience and infrastructure to attract digital activity.
An AI gigafactory could generate demand for tech services, communication networks, electrical maintenance, engineering, and specialized profiles.
However, the true scale of this impact depends on whether the bid ultimately advances to selected projects.
Currently, it remains a proposal, not an approved or under-construction facility.
Details like total investment, timelines, cooling technology, suppliers, and operational models still need to be defined.
The 150 MW capacity represents the maximum planned, not necessarily availability from day one.
Energy and efficiency arguments to attract AI
The race to develop AI infrastructure is changing how regions and countries present their bids.
Years ago, it was enough to have land, fiber, and a decent electrical connection.
New AI centers raise that bar significantly.
They require abundant energy, long-term contracts, efficient cooling, and the capacity to rapidly expand if demand grows.
Móra la Nova attempts to meet these conditions with a specific combination: up to 150 MW, continuous renewable supply, low water consumption, and a PUE between 1.15 and 1.2.
Now, it must demonstrate that these figures can be maintained as the project transitions from proposal to detailed design.
If successful, Ribera d’Ebre could evolve from a region historically associated with energy generation to a key site for one of Europe’s most demanding digital infrastructures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much power will the Móra la Nova AI gigafactory have?
The proposal includes an initial phase of up to 55 MW with the capacity to gradually expand to 150 MW.
Will it operate solely with renewable energy?
The project envisions renewable coverage 24/7. The exact approach will depend on a combination of generation, storage, energy contracts, and grid integration.
What does a PUE of 1.15 mean?
It indicates that approximately 0.15 units of additional energy are used for cooling, electrical distribution, and auxiliary systems for every unit of energy consumed by computing equipment. This is a high efficiency level for a data center.
Is the Móra la Nova gigafactory already approved?
No. Móra la Nova is a bid to host one of Europe’s future AI gigafactories. It still needs to go through the selection process and subsequent planning and approval phases.
