Google invested €75m in a new 11-acre data centre in Dublin, creating over 200 jobs. The search giant said Ireland’s naturally cool climate contributed to its decision, as it will use outside air to cool equipment instead of costly air-conditioning units. The announcement comes just two weeks after Google opened a €200m data centre in Finland, again chosen because of its climate. The centre in Hamina has pioneered a new seawater cooling system which uses a tunnel of water from the Baltic Sea to save electricity. At a press conference in Dublin on Friday, Google said its data centres use 50% less energy than typical facilities.
Google already operates one data centre in Dublin, where it employs 2,200. The new centre is designed to help Google keep up with the growing demand for storage due to cloud computing, but it will also help to power searches, Gmail and Google Maps.
Some 200 construction workers will be employed on the site over 12 to 15 months. Google’s continual investment is helping Ireland to build a reputation as a green silicon state.
