Google announced an expansion of its Hamina data center and a new heat recovery project
Picture: Visit Hamina
Google announced earlier today a new €1 billion investment into the expansion of its data center campus in Hamina, Finland, underpinning job creation, innovation and economic activity.
Since 2009, Google has invested €3.5 billion in its Hamina data center and related infrastructure. Today’s announcement also includes a new partnership with Haminan Energia, the local district heating provider, to capture and repurpose heat from the data center for district heating.
“Today is a good day for Finland and a proud moment for Business Finland. With today’s announcement Google is cementing its position as the largest inward investor into Finland in the last decade. Finland needs foreign investment as they create sustainable growth, bring jobs, and strengthen the national economy”, says Nina Kopola, Director General of Business Finland.
The announcement of a new expansion of Google’s data center is expected to support an average of ~1,900 direct, ~1,650 indirect and ~640 induced construction jobs per year in the next two years, according to a new impact study by Deloitte. The whole campus currently employs around 400 people in full time and contractor roles - from computer technicians to electrical and mechanical engineers, to security, catering and facilities management. The campus expansion will add another 100 full-time jobs. Google’s data center has been contributing to the local economy in Finland since 2009, and today’s announcement will bring the company’s total investment to more than €4.5 billion in the country.
“Finland plays a critical role in building Europe’s digital economy, and the strong tradition for innovation in Hamina and the Kymenlaakso region has been crucial to this", said Joe Kava, VP, Google Data Centers. “Our continued investments in our data center in Hamina is a testimony to Finland’s role as a digital frontrunner and will help to further unlock the potential of AI among companies in the Kymenlaakso region, across the country and in Europe.”
Investing in the environment
Google also announced a new partnership with the municipality of Hamina and Haminan Energia to recover data center heat for the local district heating network. The volume of the recovered heat represents an estimated 80% of Hamina’s district-heating needs and will be used to heat households, schools and public service buildings in a region currently highly dependent on fossil fuel. The project is expected to start contributing as a low carbon emissions system to Hamina’s energy balance by late 2025. Google will provide the recovered heat for free to Haminan Energia where the heat is connected to the district heating network in Hamina city.
