Data Center Investment News — 12/04/2024
Goodman Group Unveils Project Pluto, a $1.65Bn Data Centre Project for Sydney
Goodman Group has revealed Project Pluto, a major data centre project valued at $1.65 billion, to be developed in Sydney. This initiative highlights Goodman’s commitment to expanding its data centre portfolio and meeting the growing demand for digital infrastructure in Australia.
A planning application has been submitted to local authorities in late March and the assessment type is classified under ‘State Significant Development’ with ‘Data Storage’ as the development type.
The project is currently in the Prepare EIS stage. This involves preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts of the development.
This stage is followed by the SEARs phase, which involves requesting and reviewing the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements. Project Pluto is expected to offer state-of-the-art facilities and support the digital transformation efforts of enterprises in the region.
Keppel Data Centre Fund II Secures Framework Agreement with Mitsui Fudosan for Tokyo Acquisition
Keppel Data Centre Fund II has secured a framework agreement with Mitsui Fudosan to facilitate the acquisition of a data centre asset in Tokyo, Japan. This strategic partnership underscores Keppel’s commitment to expanding its presence in key Asian markets and enhancing its data centre portfolio.
Under the agreement, KDCF II will exclusively collaborate with Mitsui Fudosan on procuring the freehold data centre, boasting a planned gross floor area exceeding 300,000 square feet. Scheduled for completion in 2027, Mitsui Fudosan will oversee the core and shell development, while Keppel’s operating division, Keppel Data Centre & Networks (Keppel DC&N), will undertake fit-out works leveraging its technical expertise. Moreover, Keppel DC&N is poised to assume the facility management role upon the project’s completion.
The agreement is poised to support Keppel’s growth strategy and strengthen its position as a leading data centre provider in the region.
nLIGHTEN Expands to 34 Data Centres After European Acquisition
nLIGHTEN, a data centre and connectivity solutions provider, has expanded its presence to 34 data centres following the acquisition of a European data centre company.
Harro Beusker, co-founder and CEO of nLighten, said: “The digital landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, particularly as the demand for artificial intelligence continues to soar across industries. This dynamic landscape offers many opportunities for digital infrastructure, but also requires robust and scalable data centre solutions.
“By expanding our European operating base, nLighten customers will benefit from nLighten’s diverse portfolio, including a wide range of colocation, connectivity, and on-site services. This acquisition underscores nLighten’s commitment to empowering businesses across Europe with world-class data centre solutions and brings us closer to our goal of building and operating a leading European edge data centre platform.”
This strategic move marks nLIGHTEN’s commitment to growth and strengthens its position in the European data centre market. The expansion enables nLIGHTEN to offer enhanced services and support to its customers across a broader geographic footprint.
Google Kicks Off Construction of $1Bn Belgium Data Centre Project
Google has commenced construction on a $1 billion data centre project in Belgium. This significant investment underscores Google’s commitment to expanding its digital infrastructure and supporting the growth of its cloud services in Europe.
The second centre comes with an expansion of the existing Saint-Ghislain site. The construction of the campus, which will house three buildings and have a potential capacity of 300MW, aligns with Google’s commitment to becoming a net-zero company by 2030.
The new data centre is expected to enhance Google’s capacity to deliver reliable and efficient cloud-based solutions to its customers in the region.
EdgeCentres Acquires QuadraNet
EdgeCentres has acquired QuadraNet, a full-service data center provider offering colocation, dedicated servers, cloud services, and managed services.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Los Angeles, QuadraNet says it has more than 1,000 active customers and facilities located in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New Jersey, Reston, St. Louis, and Seattle. Terms of the deal were not shared. Edge Centres’ CTO, Kiarash Jahangiri, has been appointed as QuadraNet’s CEO to oversee operations.
This strategic acquisition strengthens EdgeCentres’ position in the data centre market and expands its service offerings to customers. QuadraNet’s expertise and infrastructure assets complement EdgeCentres’ portfolio and support its growth objectives.
Google Breaks Ground on Second Belgian Data Center Campus Worth $1Bn
Google has initiated the construction of its second data center campus in Belgium, representing an investment of $1 billion. This expansion underscores Google’s commitment to bolstering its cloud infrastructure in Europe to meet growing demand for its services.
Conditions attached to Google’s planning permit will require on-site solar panels, which the company has said will mounted to the roof. Additionally, 90 percent of the energy consumed on the site must be carbon-free by 2025 and this must even be 95 percent by 2030.
Google will also have to opt for a more sustainable cooling system for the data centers in the future – reportedly switching from systems that use water-consuming technology to air-cooling. The site will also be connected to a local district heating network.
The new campus will enhance Google’s ability to deliver reliable, high-performance cloud solutions to businesses and individuals across the continent.
Atman Raises $345M to Build Data Centers in Poland
Atman, a leading data center operator in Poland, has secured $345 million in funding to support the construction of new data center facilities in the country.
Atman CFO Wojciech Sadowski said: “The support provided to Atman by six leading financial institutions is the largest syndicated loan obtained in Poland for the development of data centers. The excellent condition of the company has been recognized by domestic and foreign financing institutions in the form of loans granted, which will enable further dynamic development of Atman as a leading data center player in Poland and the CEE region.”
This investment reflects Atman’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for data center services in Poland and strengthening its position in the market. The funding will enable Atman to expand its infrastructure and offer state-of-the-art solutions to its customers.
Chirisa Plans 20MW Data Center in Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chirisa, a data center developer, has announced plans to build a 20MW data center in Chesterfield County, Virginia. This project underscores Chirisa’s commitment to expanding its data center footprint in strategic locations to meet growing demand for digital infrastructure.
Chirisa is also seeking to build a third data center at the technology park, and has formed a joint venture with American Real Estate Partners to purchase a 300,000 sq ft (27,871 sqm) partially constructed folding and microcorrugated packaging plant at 1,600 Digital Drive.
The plant was announced by printing company Cartograf in 2019, but was never completed, leading to lawsuits from two other companies involved in the project, Choate and the Comerica bank. Subsequently, a court ordered the property be sold so that the claims of these businesses could be satisfied, and the Chirisa JV successfully bid $16.5 million for the site. The new facility is expected to enhance the region’s data center capabilities and support the growth of businesses in Virginia.
LCL Data Centers Invests $30M to Expand Brussels North Data Center in Belgium
LCL Data Centers has announced a $30 million investment to expand its Brussels North data center in Belgium. This expansion project reflects LCL’s commitment to enhancing its data center infrastructure and meeting the growing demand for colocation services in the region.
Laurens van Reijen, MD of LCL Data Centers, said: “LCL Brussels-North is a hub through which all Belgian internet traffic flows and that makes it the region’s best-connected data center complex. Adding another data center will enable us to continue to support society’s growing digitalization.”
The company said the design of its new facility has been certified as Tier III by Uptime Institute. The facility will also prioritize sustainability with the data center operator upgrading cooling installations and considering alternative cooling methods.
The investment will enable LCL to provide state-of-the-art facilities and support the digital transformation initiatives of businesses in Belgium.
Stack Infrastructure Secures $3.3Bn in Green Financing
Stack Infrastructure has secured $3.3 billion in green financing to support its data center expansion initiatives. This funding underscores Stack Infrastructure’s commitment to sustainable growth and environmental responsibility in the data center industry.
Stack campuses in Milan, Italy, will receive $1.2bn to support water-efficient infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations, e-waste recycling programs, and public garden area redevelopment, including domestic beehive colony settlements.
“Our top priority is to assist our clients in meeting their sustainability targets with the speed, scale, and certainty required to deliver efficient, AI-ready capacity,” said Brian Cox, CEO of Stack Americas.
John Eland, CEO of Stack EMEA, added: “Our dedication to sustainable practices and obtaining green financing empowers Stack to expedite and fulfill our ESG initiatives.”
The financing will facilitate the development of new energy-efficient data centers, further strengthening Stack Infrastructure’s position as a leading provider of sustainable data center solutions.
Vantage Opens Second Zurich Data Centre
Vantage Data Centers has inaugurated its second data center facility in Zurich, Switzerland, as part of its expansion strategy in Europe. The new data center, equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and advanced security features, aims to meet the growing demand for reliable and scalable data center services in the region.
“Across Europe and the globe, the demand for highly efficient, hyperscale data centres is booming to meet the needs of next generation applications, from powerful AI models to high-performance computing and cloud transformation,” said David Howson, president of Vantage Data Centers, EMEA.
“Vantage is prepared to meet that demand for current and new customers, and we look forward to opening the doors of our latest data center this summer.”
Howson added that Zurich is a rapidly growing data centre market due to its strategic central location and its global financial leadership. This expansion strengthens Vantage’s presence in Europe and enhances its ability to serve customers with high-quality colocation and hyperscale solutions.