Google drives Finland’s data center boom with largest European investment

Overview

Google has made its largest single investment in Europe with a €13 billion ($15.1 billion) pledge for AI infrastructure and data centers in Finland. The project is expected to create over 37,000 jobs during the construction phase and contribute €3.6 billion annually to Finland's GDP.

Challenges

However, the rollout was hit by a snag when Finnish regulators ordered work to stop at two of the new sites due to environmental impact assessments not being completed. Google acknowledged the issue and pledged to follow the rules going forward, outlining biodiversity measures including planting 130 hectares of trees at the Muhos site.

Power and Energy

Google has also signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with utility Fortum to buy up to 50% of the output from the Loviisa nuclear plant, supporting grid stability. Additionally, the company has lined up contracts for wind energy and a 94 MW battery system.

Benefits

Finland's pitch to data center operators comes down to two things: the cold and the grid. Low temperatures sharply cut the cost of keeping servers from overheating, making Finland an attractive location for data centers. The country also offers access to cleaner energy, including nuclear and hydroelectric power.