Dutch energy suppliers rely heavily on US cloud firms
The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) says energy suppliers in the Netherlands depend on Microsoft, Amazon and Google for cloud services, and few are switching away.
Dutch energy suppliers depend heavily on a small number of US cloud providers, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) says. The providers are the so-called hyperscalers: Microsoft, Amazon and Google.
The suppliers see why digital autonomy matters, the ACM says. New European rules, such as the Data Act, also make it easier to depend less on one hyperscaler. Even so, only a limited number of suppliers are moving to other cloud services.
The regulator investigated what keeps many suppliers from cutting their reliance on one or a few cloud providers, and which barriers stand in the way of switching. A paper sets out the findings, the risks of cloud dependence and the benefits of digital autonomy.
More on business and companies · digital, tech and privacy · energy and the grid
Follow the story: ACM
ACM (Autoriteit Consument en Markt)
The Authority for Consumers and Markets is the Dutch independent regulator that supervises competition and consumer protection across the economy. It also oversees sectors such as energy, telecom and transport, including the energy suppliers and networks that people in the Netherlands buy from.
Data Act
The Data Act is an EU regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/2854) that sets rules on who may access and use data generated by connected products and related services. It also requires providers of data processing services, such as cloud services, to make it easier for customers to switch to another provider.