Google Announces $1 Billion Investment in New Data Center in the UK
Google has announced a significant $1 billion investment for the construction of a new data center in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, in the United Kingdom. This project not only reaffirms Google’s ongoing commitment to growth and technological innovation in the region but also promises to contribute to local economic development by creating jobs in the construction and technical sectors.
The new data center, spanning across 33 acres, is designed to provide essential computing infrastructure to UK businesses, supporting innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) and ensuring reliable digital services for Google Cloud customers and users in the UK and around the world.
Recognizing the crucial role data centers play in supporting essential services like Google Search, Maps, YouTube, Workspace, and Google Cloud, the company is focused on strengthening the country’s digital economy and unlocking new ways for AI-driven technologies to enhance productivity, foster creativity, optimize healthcare outcomes, and discover scientific advancements.
In line with its leadership in computing infrastructure and commitment to sustainability, Google has set the ambitious goal of running all of its data centers and campuses on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. To support this goal, Google signed a power purchase agreement with ENGIE in 2022 for offshore wind energy generated by the Moray West wind farm in Scotland. This agreement will add 100MW of energy to the grid and enable Google’s operations in the UK to run on 90% carbon-free energy by 2025.
Additionally, Google is exploring innovative ways to utilize the heat generated by data centers, and this new facility will have provisions for off-site heat recovery, allowing the heat generated by the data center to be used by nearby homes and businesses. The data center will also implement an air-based cooling system.
The investment in the Waltham Cross data center adds to a series of investments that Google has made in the UK, demonstrating its commitment to the country as a global leader in AI, technology, and science. This includes the acquisition of the Central Saint Giles office for $1 billion in 2022, the development of 1 million square feet in King’s Cross, and the launch of the Accessibility Discovery Center.
Beyond the walls of its offices, in 2021, Google laid a new undersea cable, Grace Hopper, connecting the UK to the United States and Spain, and has provided free digital skills training to over a million people. Last year, Google expanded its Google Digital Garage training program to include a new AI-focused curriculum, enabling more Britons to benefit from the opportunities created by this technology.