Google recently commenced construction work on its first data centre in Austria. The project is pitched as a boost for AI capacity and regional digital infrastructure, with heat reuse and water restoration initiatives baked into the project.
The tech giant stated the data centre will support growing demand for Google’s AI capabilities and digital services including Search, YouTube, Maps and Workspace across Europe.
Once complete, the site in Kronstorf will create 100 direct jobs, with thousands more expected through construction, suppliers and local businesses.
The facility is being built heat recovery-ready, with a green roof and solar panels. Google explained once an offtaker is identified, heat can be provided free of charge to eligible partners to support the decarbonisation of local heat sources.
Google is also establishing a fund to restore the local Enns river ecosystem in partnership with the Upper Austrian Fisheries Association, aligning with the company’s goal to replenish more freshwater than it consumes by 2030.
Alongside the data centre move, it announced a multi-year collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria to develop AI education and certifications.
It is also set to open a public information centre, where the local community can learn about digital infrastructure and Google’s sustainability efforts.
Google has operated in Austria since 2006 and has trained more than 140,000 people in the country since 2014, it noted, including students, educators, small business owners, and developers.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Google
