On Tuesday 12 May 2026, local non-profit organisation Mouvement Ecologique issued a statement on the proposed Google data centre in Bissen, in which it called for full transparency and stricter environmental regulations from Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Environment.
In its statement, Mouvement Ecologique noted that the public consultation on the data centre in Bissen had highlighted fundamental problems associated with the Google facility, including issues relating to efficiency standards, energy consumption, the use of environmentally harmful and noisy diesel engines instead of batteries, no utilisation of waste heat and only marginal production of solar energy.
Mouvement Ecologique said it is currently unclear how the development will proceed and demanded greater transparency. It reported that the lawyer for the non-profit organisation has sent a letter to Luxembourg’s Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, regarding these issues.
Mouvement Ecologique said: “The ‘confidentiality’ of certain data – particularly regarding the energy and carbon footprint – which the company is claiming as part of the public consultation process, contravenes applicable law according to the expert analysis. This is because the confidentiality clause demanded by Google covers precisely the information that is crucial for the public assessment of the project: energy requirements, emissions, and calculations regarding the carbon footprint. Such data must not be classified as trade secrets but are of significant public interest.”
The ecological organisation highlighted that under Luxembourg law, including that governing access to environmental information, a confidentiality clause must not be used to withhold significant environmental impacts of a project from the public, and highlighted that these documents were not made available during the public consultation. Mouvement Ecologique said: “This shortcoming must be rectified by the Ministry,” and called for the public consultation procedure to be annulled.
Additionally, Mouvement Ecologique called for the disclosure of all statements from ministries and administrative bodies submitted as part of the environmental assessment procedure, stating that only in this way can it be understood which risks have been identified by the state, what concerns exist and what conditions are being discussed. It noted these documents are also subject to the publication requirement enshrined in various laws.
According to Mouvement Ecologique, under current plans, Google would release significant amounts of waste heat into the air instead of, like many modern data centres, reusing it for other purposes such as district heating networks, which supply residential areas, public buildings or industrial facilities. The organisation highlighted that waste heat generated by Google in Bissen could be used to supply Ettelbrück, Diekirch and neighbouring businesses. It said that simply releasing this energy into the environment – and thereby contributing to climate catastrophe – instead of putting it to good use is “utterly absurd”.
While officials do not dispute that the use of waste heat would be important and sensible, Mouvement Ecologique argued that Google cannot be required to use it, as Luxembourg does not yet have a heating law that would explicitly regulate this. Existing legislation currently stipulates that such requirements must be imposed within the framework of the ‘best available technology’ standard.
According to Mouvement Ecologique, the obligation to recover waste heat and use it efficiently therefore exists. In line with a modern and responsible energy policy and in view of rising energy prices and a worsening climate crisis, as well as Luxembourg’s international commitments, it said it would no longer be justifiable to release large quantities of heat into the environment without utilising it. “A corporation such as Google, in particular, must meet the highest standards in the areas of energy efficiency and sustainability“, stressed Mouvement Ecologique.
Mouvement Ecologique noted that the Ministry of the Environment is currently analysing the objections submitted as part of the public consultation on the strategic environmental assessment and Google will be informed whether or not they need to make improvements to the facility or the application, and if so, what these are. The organisation said the analysis by the ministry is central to the further development of the application and must be sent to Google no later than 80 days after the end of the public consultation (held on 27 March 2026). As this is a public document, its disclosure was also requested in the letter from Mouvement Ecologique’s lawyer.
Mouvement Ecologique said: “The project in Bissen represents a fundamental turning point for Luxembourg. The decision will show whether the country is prepared to consistently prioritise transparency, energy efficiency and climate protection when attracting large technology companies. Mouvement Ecologique is therefore calling for a comprehensive public debate and a transparent, scientifically sound assessment of all climate and environmental impacts before final approval is granted. We look forward to the Environment Minister’s response.”
SM
