As Google officially opened its new data center in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, UK, this September, it marked a major milestone in its growth plans powered by a £5 billion investment across the UK. The facility will power Google’s AI-driven services, including Google Cloud, Workspace, Search, and Maps.
The £5 billion investment that will take place over two years, encompasses capital expenditure, research and development, and Google DeepMind’s AI research in science and healthcare. In a press release Google revealed that the Waltham Cross center is designed for efficiency and sustainability with advanced air-cooling technology to minimize water use and providing off-site heat recovery to warm local homes and businesses.
Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet and Google, said, “Google is helping unlock £400 billion in AI-driven economic growth by 2030 while enhancing critical public services. Our investment in infrastructure, energy, and job-ready AI skills ensures communities across the UK remain at the cutting edge of technology.”
The program aims to strengthen the UK’s AI economy, support breakthroughs in science, fortify cybersecurity, and create 8,250 jobs annually across UK businesses. Over 250 local companies contributed to the project.
Google already has another ambitious data center project in Thurrock, Essex, which as per a report by The Guardian, will eventually be a 52 hectare hyperscale facility. The project aims to develop a high-performance, and resilient data centre campus to enable capacity growth in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital services.