Apple pouring 1.7 billion euros into new data centers in Ireland and Denmark
Apple on Monday announced a multi-billion euro data center project that will add new state-of-the-art facilities in County Galway, Ireland and Denmark's Jutland peninsula to the company's roster in 2017, with both locations powered exclusively by renewable energy.
Apple's datacenter in Maiden, North Carolina
The new data centers will measure some 166,000 square meters each, and Apple says they will serve content for the iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps, and Siri for European consumers. Apple has chosen Athenry, Ireland and Viborg, Denmark to house the server farms.
"We are grateful for Apple's continued success in Europe and proud that our investment supports communities across the continent," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a release. "This significant new investment represents Apple's biggest project in Europe to date. We're thrilled to be expanding our operations, creating hundreds of local jobs and introducing some of our most advanced green building designs yet."
The Irish project will include the recovery of land previously used for the growth and harvesting of non-native trees. Apple will restore native flora to the land, and the company also intends to create an outdoor education space for local schools and a community walking trail on the property.
Apple will locate its Denmark location adjacent to an existing substation, eliminating the need to build additional generators. The company will also add a system designed to collect excess heat from inside the data center and distribute it to heat homes in Viborg.
The company notes that its new data centers will bring the lowest environmental impact of any Apple data center to date, including the recently-opened facility in North Carolina, which includes its own solar farm.
"We believe that innovation is about leaving the world better than we found it, and that the time for tackling climate change is now," Apple's environmental chief, Lisa Jackson, said. "We're excited to spur green industry growth in Ireland and Denmark and develop energy systems that take advantage of their strong wind resources. Our commitment to environmental responsibility is good for the planet, good for our business and good for the European economy."
Apple's datacenter in Maiden, North Carolina
The new data centers will measure some 166,000 square meters each, and Apple says they will serve content for the iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps, and Siri for European consumers. Apple has chosen Athenry, Ireland and Viborg, Denmark to house the server farms.
"We are grateful for Apple's continued success in Europe and proud that our investment supports communities across the continent," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a release. "This significant new investment represents Apple's biggest project in Europe to date. We're thrilled to be expanding our operations, creating hundreds of local jobs and introducing some of our most advanced green building designs yet."
The Irish project will include the recovery of land previously used for the growth and harvesting of non-native trees. Apple will restore native flora to the land, and the company also intends to create an outdoor education space for local schools and a community walking trail on the property.
Apple will locate its Denmark location adjacent to an existing substation, eliminating the need to build additional generators. The company will also add a system designed to collect excess heat from inside the data center and distribute it to heat homes in Viborg.
The company notes that its new data centers will bring the lowest environmental impact of any Apple data center to date, including the recently-opened facility in North Carolina, which includes its own solar farm.
"We believe that innovation is about leaving the world better than we found it, and that the time for tackling climate change is now," Apple's environmental chief, Lisa Jackson, said. "We're excited to spur green industry growth in Ireland and Denmark and develop energy systems that take advantage of their strong wind resources. Our commitment to environmental responsibility is good for the planet, good for our business and good for the European economy."
Comments
This is great! I hope they build more of these.
Plenty of sun here in Australia if you want to build something down here Apple.
Now, don't be greedy. You have iTunes Radio.
Be happy with that, for now. ????
Plenty of sun here in Australia if you want to build something down here Apple.
Yeah, but they would need triple the amount of power just to cool the thing and the economies of scale given the population size might not warrant it. Here in Ireland, they just need to open a couple of windows given the annual average temperature is 9° C. For Sydney it would be double that. This article is quite interesting as it explains why Ireland is attractive for air cooled data centres: http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2013/04/08/dublin-free-cooling/
I imagine if they are going to power this from renewables they will either seek permission to put up some wind turbines or purchase the energy from an existing wind farm. There are quite a few nearby near Loughrea.
I have a strong suspicion when it actually comes time for Ireland to make a decision on their tax policy regarding the "double Irish", they won't change a thing lest they lose the billions in investments they currently enjoy.
They made a decision some months ago and you are half right. The current policy will remain for existing beneficiaries until 2020 but will be closed to newcomers. http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/budget-to-end-double-irish-tax-scheme-1.1962188
How interesting. That may yet spur much more activity and investment to beat the deadline.
There may be other factors at work here. Just as has happened with China, Apple is now essentially forced to locate data centers in other countries to ensure those host countries that they are not subject to US interception or interference from spy agencies. All countries do it, but at least Apple can follow local regulations without too much political interference.
Add in the fallout from the NSA revelations and it makes even more sense.
I have a strong suspicion when it actually comes time for Ireland to make a decision on their tax policy regarding the "double Irish", they won't change a thing lest they lose the billions in investments they currently enjoy.
It's interesting that one of the data centres is in Denmark - a country known for its high taxes. I guess they give plenty of green tax breaks.
Interesting point.
Are people missing the obvious here?
Apple already has plenty of data centre capacity. Now they're building a huge centre in Mesa and two more in Europe. I'm curious what services Apple is planning that require such a large increase in capacity. TV streaming perhaps? Apple Search? Making Apple Maps available to all in a browser?
This is what happens when the USA/State does not offer Apple tax breaks or a reasonable repatriation tax.
I'd rather these center be built in the USA but stupid tax rules is preventing this.
You don't think it illogical that all European Apple users should have all their data travel back and forth across the Atlantic?
If Microsoft lose that email access case, US owned data centers might become moot anyway as either the US would need to change it's laws or the EU might ban US companies from ever even collecting any personal data on EU citizens.
It would have been good if they'd built them ten years ago, but better late than never.
Are people missing the obvious here?
Apple already has plenty of data centre capacity. Now they're building a huge centre in Mesa and two more in Europe. I'm curious what services Apple is planning that require such a large increase in capacity. TV streaming perhaps? Apple Search? Making Apple Maps available to all in a browser?
What makes you think that they have "plenty" of data center capacity?
And why wouldn't they want to have data centers close to the populations served?
I'm surprised it's taken this long to open large data centers in Europe.
Yeah, but they would need triple the amount of power just to cool the thing and the economies of scale given the population size might not warrant it...
Not necessarily. Groundwater (non-artesian) provides ample ?T for cooling and can be (and is) returned to the aquifer. This works very well. One supercomputing centre with which I am familiar is cooled entirely this way. There is also ample solar energy. Population size is less relevant when one considers that increasingly and often by regulation, there is an expectation that locally produced information will be warehoused within the country. Australia is very much a candidate for a data centre.