Google wants a permit to significantly expand the Groningen data center

Google has submitted an application to double the size of the data center in the Groningen municipality of Eemsmond. Construction is currently underway on three data hotels on the N33 in Eemshaven on the 45 hectares that Google has already purchased for the centers.

The applications were not submitted by Google itself, but by subsidiary Greenbox Computing. A spokesperson for the group has stated to the Dagblad van het Noorden that the application does not necessarily mean that investments are actually being made in new centers. It is part of a long-term plan and there is no ‘final decision’ yet.

The first phase of the plan for the data hotel is to be completed in 2017, with part of the center expected to be put into use this year. The first phase involves 600 million euros and should also provide jobs for 150 to 170 people.

Eemshaven is conveniently located for data processors because it is close to the GN-IX. There is also sufficient electricity due to the presence of power stations of Electrabel, Nuon and RWE.

Not only Google is busy with data centers. Microsoft is also building a third data center in Middenmeer in North Holland, the Noordhollands Dagblad reports. This data center must be located along the A7, according to information that the NHD could see. At the end of 2015, Microsoft commissioned its first data center at Agriport. This center cost two billion euros and is intended for services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.