Google has announced a €5 billion investment in Belgium over the next two years to expand its data center campus in St. Ghislain, strengthening the country’s position as a key European hub for digital innovation and artificial intelligence. The commitment was unveiled during the Belgian Economic Mission to the United States.
In a press release Google said that the expansion will enhance Google’s Belgian cloud region, providing greater capacity for businesses and public institutions that depend on Google Cloud, Search, Maps, and Workspace.
Belgium’s Prime Minister, Bart De Wever described the announcement as “a powerful sign of trust in Belgium as a hub for digital innovation and sustainable growth.” He said the investment will advance economic resilience and accelerate the nation’s clean energy transition.
Bikash Koley, Google’s Vice President of Global Infrastructure, said, “This investment deepens our roots in Belgium and expands opportunities for AI-driven transformation, it ensures that people across Belgium and Europe can benefit from this exciting era of innovation.”
The new development includes long-term carbon-free energy agreements aligned with Google’s global goal to operate entirely on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. Since opening its first Belgian data center in 2007, Google has invested more than €11 billion in the country. Between 2022 and 2024, its operations generated an estimated €697 million in GDP, with annual contributions projected to exceed €1.5 billion by 2027.
Google currently works with nearly 150 Belgian suppliers, including 80 based in Wallonia. To power its growing infrastructure, the company has secured new energy deals with Eneco, Luminus, and Renner, combining over 110 MW of carbon-free capacity. Additional partnerships were formed with Centrica Energy and grid operator Elia to integrate demand-response technology with on-site battery storage at St. Ghislain for power reliability and security.
Google continues to strengthen grid reliability and lower electricity costs as the company has supported 365 MW of new clean energy generation in Belgium and signed wind and solar power agreements amounting to 4.5 GW across Europe since 2010.