Data Centers in Bologna
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Bologna – Northern Italy's Strategic Digital Hub
Bologna is an emerging data center market in Northern Italy, ideal for enterprises requiring resilient infrastructure with low latency to local industrial and academic centers. Its strategic location provides a crucial alternative to Milan for disaster recovery and serving the rich economic corridor of the Emilia-Romagna region. This market ensures high uptime and effective connectivity for mission-critical operations.
Bologna: At A Glance
| Factor | Rating / Data | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Global Connectivity Grade | B | Strong national and regional fiber, but fewer international carrier options than Milan. |
| Direct Cloud On-Ramps | 0 – as of September 2025 | The nearest major cloud hub is Milan; private network extensions are available. |
| Power Cost | €0.18 – €0.24/kWh | Industrial power costs are a key factor for high-density deployments. |
| Disaster Risk | Low (3.0/10) – as of September 2025 | Primarily exposed to seismic and flood risks, which are manageable with modern infrastructure. |
| Tax Incentives | Yes | Subsidies are available for investments in energy-efficient systems and related facility improvements. |
| Sales Tax | 22% VAT – as of September 2025 | The standard Value Added Tax rate applies to equipment and services. |
Network & Connectivity Ecosystem
Bologna's connectivity is solid for a secondary market, anchored by national fiber routes connecting it to primary hubs.
Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: The market is served by over two providers, offering access to a range of national and regional carriers as of September 2025. Carrier-neutral facilities provide essential options for network redundancy and competitive pricing.
Direct Cloud On-Ramps: There are no direct public cloud on-ramps within Bologna's data centers as of September 2025. Businesses connect to hyperscale cloud regions via the primary hub in Milan, typically using private network interconnects (PNI) or wavelength services.
Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): While most peering occurs privately or through Milan's larger exchanges, local peering can be facilitated. This helps optimize traffic flow for local businesses and service providers.
Bare Metal: Bare metal server options are available, providing dedicated, high-performance computing resources. Providers like OVHcloud and IONOS offer solutions suitable for workloads that demand direct hardware access without virtualization overhead.
Power Analysis
Power infrastructure in Bologna is reliable and supports the needs of modern data center operations, though costs reflect broader European energy trends.
Average Cost Of Power: Industrial electricity rates are estimated between €0.18 and €0.24/kWh as of September 2025. This pricing makes power consumption a significant operational expense for large-scale deployments. The Italian grid is primarily powered by fossil fuels (~60%) and renewables (~40%).
Power Grid Reliability: The regional power grid is well-engineered, with data centers in the area typically connected to redundant power sources and multiple substations. This design minimizes the risk of downtime from utility failures.
Market Access, Business & Tax Climate
Bologna's location in the Emilia-Romagna region, one of Italy's wealthiest, provides a strong foundation for digital services.
Proximity To Key Business Districts: Data centers in Bologna are positioned to serve the area's strong industrial sector, including automotive manufacturing, mechanical engineering, and food production. Proximity also supports the University of Bologna, one of the oldest and most important research institutions in Europe.
Regional Market Reach: Bologna provides effective low-latency access to central and northern Italy, including cities like Florence, Venice, and Verona. It also serves as a viable disaster recovery location for primary operations based in Milan.
Tax Advantage For Data Centers: Italy offers tax incentives that can benefit data center operators and their clients. General subsidies are available for companies that invest in energy-efficient systems and infrastructure upgrades. This helps lower the total cost of ownership by offsetting capital expenditures for green technologies.
Natural Disaster Risk
Bologna has a low overall disaster risk profile, with an INFORM Risk score of 3.0 out of 10 as of September 2025. While the overall threat is minimal, operators must engineer facilities to withstand specific regional hazards.
The most significant natural risks include:
- Earthquake: 7.7/10
- Coastal Flood: 6.5/10 (regional risk)
- River Flood: 6.2/10
- Tsunami: 6.1/10 (regional risk)
- Drought: 2.8/10
