Google is investing €600 million (approx. $640 million) in a new data center in Winschoten, Groningen, Netherlands. The site will utilize the waste heat it produces for any future heating networks in the district and also feature solar panels on the roof. Currently, Google already has two data centers in the Netherlands—one in Eemshaven, which opened in 2018, and one in Middenmeer, which opened in 2020.

The new data center is part of Google’s ongoing expansion in the country. One of its unique traits is its sustainability-related features. Google has pledged to run all of its data centers and campuses on carbon-free energy (CFE) by 2030, and the new Winschoten facility will be no exception.

Google has not yet announced a timeline for constructing and opening the Winschoten data center. However, it is expected to create many new jobs in the region, both during construction and once the facility is up and running.

Apart from the expansion in the Netherlands, Google is also expanding its data centers globally. The company recently gained a permit for another data center in Dallas, Oregon.

Other companies such as AWS and Microsoft have expanded their data center infrastructure globally. For instance, AWS has added over 87 locations worldwide and expanded into new regions such as the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, India, and Thailand in the last year. In India, AWS plans to invest $4.4 billion by 2030 as the country plans to increase its cloud computing capacity from 565 megawatts to 2.5 gigawatts.

The expansion of data centers is primarily driven by a surge in digital transformation initiatives as well as the use of generative AI as companies strive to modernize their IT infrastructure. The majority of growing needs come from hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google as they are currently at the forefront of expanding their cloud as well as AI-related services.

Via Reuters