Data Center Investment News — 23/02/2024
Oracle Plans Kenyan Data Centre Region
Oracle announces plans to establish a data centre region in Kenya, reflecting the company’s commitment to expanding its cloud infrastructure footprint in Africa.
Oracle’s President William Ruto said: “We are delighted to see Oracle planning such an important investment in Kenya.”
Also commenting, Scott Twaddle, senior vice president, product and industries, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, said: “OCI is leveraged by governments and companies across the world as a scalable and secure platform for mission-critical workloads on which to drive innovation and transformation. We already have a strong business in Kenya, and the upcoming public cloud region in Nairobi represents a significant next step forward in helping support the country’s economic goals.”
The initiative aims to enhance cloud services availability, data sovereignty, and digital transformation opportunities for businesses and organizations across the region.
Rack Centre Names CEO Ahead of New Hyperscale Data Centre Investment Switching On
Rack Centre, the West African data centre operator, has appointed Lars Johannisson as its new CEO to spearhead platform expansion. Johannisson has experience working in Telecom, IT Delivery, Managed Services, and Digital skilling, and over the last 14 years has executed large B2B projects in over 30 Sub-Saharan countries.
Group Chief Executive Officer of Rack Centre, Jasper Lankhorst, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lars Johannisson on board as the new Chief Executive Officer of Rack Centre. He brings vast experience, and strategic leadership that will propel Rack Centre to new heights.
“I have full confidence in Lars’s ability to steer our company towards continued success, and I look forward to working closely with him to advance our position as a leading data centre provider.”
The move aligns with Rack Centre’s vision to meet the increasing demand for data services in Nigeria and across the African continent.
Ethiopia to Build $250M Data Centre in Partnership with Hong Kong’s West Data Group
Ethiopia announces plans to collaborate with Hong Kong’s West Data Group to develop a $250 million data centre, marking a significant milestone in Ethiopia’s digital infrastructure expansion. The project aims to foster economic growth, attract foreign investment, and support Ethiopia’s digital transformation journey.
West Data Group, known for its blockchain-fuelled fintech solutions and data centres globally, brings its expertise in Bitcoin mining, digital currency investment, and trading to the table. The venture aims to establish data mining and artificial intelligence (AI) training facilities in Ethiopia. Details of this venture were revealed by Kal Kassa, the CEO of Hashlabs Mining, who highlighted the country’s openness to mining activities since 2022, despite its stance against cryptocurrency trading.
The Spanish government and Microsoft have entered into an agreement to integrate AI and cloud technology into both public administration and enterprises.The accord has led Microsoft to quadruple its investments in Spain, reaching the sum of US$2.1 billion (approximately €1,948 million) by 2025.
In an X post, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, said: “The investment by Microsoft in Spain will quadruple to €1.95 billion. I want to thank its president, Brad Smith for his confidence in the Spanish economy and in our roadmap for an inclusive and secure digital transformation.
“We also discussed opportunities for cooperation to strengthen cybersecurity and the promotion of artificial intelligence in public administration. Public-private collaboration is essential to successfully face the challenges of digital transformation.”
The investment underscores Microsoft’s commitment to supporting Spain’s digital transformation efforts and strengthening its cloud services presence in the region.
Virtus Data Centres to Build 5th UK Campus on the Back of AI Demand Surge
Virtus Data Centres announces plans to construct its fifth UK campus on a recently acquired 50-acre freehold plot in Saunderton, Buckinghamshire, close to the existing data centre hub of Slough, west of London driven by the surge in demand for artificial intelligence AI applications.
VIRTUS chief executive officer Neil Cresswell said: “The acquisition of this new 50-acre campus is a significant step in VIRTUS’ strategic growth plans. It demonstrates our ongoing commitment to provide advanced data centre facilities in the UK, whilst also expanding our operations in Europe.
“Our focus is to support the evolving requirements of our customers, wherever they need them, and the burgeoning demand for AI-ready data infrastructure. We are dedicated to being at the forefront of supporting businesses on their digital transformation journeys, whilst ensuring that our data centres are built to the highest sustainability standards, aligning with our target to be carbon neutral by 2030.”
The new campus aims to provide advanced data infrastructure to support AI-driven innovations, digital transformation initiatives, and evolving business requirements in the UK.
Damac, Vodafone Plan $100M Data Centre in Turkey
Damac Properties and Vodafone Turkey collaborate to establish a $100 million data centre in Turkey, reflecting the growing demand for digital infrastructure and connectivity services in the region.
Aqil Ali, the Vice Chairman and Board Member of EDGNEX Data Centres by DAMAC, and Engin Aksoy, the CEO of Vodafone Turkey, were present at the press conference in Istanbul for the Vodafone Izmir Data Centre project.Both spoke about the significance of the partnership and the potential impact of the new data centre.
“We attach importance to establishing global strategic partnerships where we can have maximum impact on local digital economies,” Aqil Ali said. “Our work with Vodafone will deliver a word-class facility in a rapidly developing market.”
As for Aksoy, he emphasised Vodafone’s role in Turkey’s economy. Aksoy said: “Our aim with this strategic partnership is to develop data centre facilities in Turkey and other global markets. When our new data centre is completed it will form one of the strongest links of our investments in technology. As Vodafone, we will continue to contribute to the sustainable growth of our country with our global experience and local talents.”
The partnership aims to leverage Vodafone’s expertise in telecommunications and Damac’s real estate capabilities to deliver state-of-the-art data centre solutions in Turkey.
Edged Energy to Build 300MW of Fresh Data Centre Capacity in the US
Edged Energy announces plans to develop 300 megawatts of new data centre capacity in the United States, highlighting the company’s commitment to meeting the increasing demand for sustainable and efficient data infrastructure solutions
The facilities will bring more than 300 MW of capacity with an average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.15.The first phase of this US expansion includes a 168 MW campus in Atlanta, a 96 MW campus in the Chicago area, 36 MW in Phoenix and 24 MW in Kansas City.The sites in Atlanta, Chicago, and Kansas City are under construction and will open later this year. Several more US sites “are expected to break ground in major urban markets in the coming months,” the company said.
The initiative aims to support the growth of digital services while prioritizing energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Northern Data Group Subsidiary Seals US Data Centre Purchase
Northern Data Group subsidiary Ardent Data Centers finalizes the acquisition of a data centre facility in the United States, marking a significant expansion of Northern Data’s presence in the North American market.
Corey Needles, Managing Director, Ardent Data Centers, said: “Completing this acquisition is an important milestone in the execution of Ardent’s strategy to build and offer the most efficient, secure, and optimized infrastructure to power the next era of innovation enabled by HPC.
“We are looking forward to beginning the retrofitting process as we shape it into a purpose-built facility that will join Ardent’s flagship European site in Boden, Sweden as another industry-leading HPC data centre.”
The acquisition aligns with Northern Data’s growth strategy and enhances its capabilities to meet the evolving needs of enterprise customers.
Starwood Acquires $850 Million Stake in Echelon Data Centres
Starwood Capital Group acquires an $850 million stake in Echelon Data Centres, highlighting the increasing investor interest in the data centre sector. .
The transaction will see Starwood Capital invest through Starwood Opportunity Fund XII and Starwood Real Estate Income Trust Inc, becoming a 50 percent shareholder in Echelon and “providing material capital” for its further growth.Starwood said the investment values Echelon at approximately €2.5 billion ($2.69bn).
The investment underscores Starwood’s confidence in Echelon’s growth potential and its commitment to supporting the expansion of data infrastructure globally.
Goodman Group Announces $80bn Data Centre Development Opportunity
Goodman Group reveals an $80 billion opportunity for data centre development, signalling a significant investment in digital infrastructure globally.
Shared as part of its half-yearly results announcement on February 15, the company said it has added 300MW to its “power bank” since November 2023, bringing its total availability to 4GW.That power capacity is split globally, with 200MW available in Los Angeles, 1.5GW available across Europe and the UK in locations including London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, and Madrid, 1.5GW available, and 300MW delivered in Asia across Tokyo, Osaka, and Hong Kong, and 400MW available and 200MW delivered in Australia and New Zealand in Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland.
The company is placing a lot of emphasis on its data center business, with CEO Greg Goodman noting that data centers will be a “key area of growth.The initiative reflects the growing demand for data storage and processing capabilities, driven by expanding cloud computing, IoT, and other digital technologies
Google Confirms It Is Behind Project Dawson Data Centre Campus in South Carolina
Google confirms its involvement in Project Dawson, a data centre campus development in South Carolinan.
“The Dorchester County Economic Development (DCED) office, which serves to support economic growth in the county, confirms a relationship with Google who recently closed on property in the county,” the DCED said this week.
“We are thrilled to welcome Google to Dorchester County and know they will be a long-term partner for our community, especially our schools,” said Dorchester County Council Chairman Todd Friddle. “Google has a history of strengthening local workforces and uplifting communities, and we look forward to Google making a positive difference here in Dorchester County.”
The project underscores Google’s continued investment in expanding its data centre footprint to support its growing cloud services and infrastructure requirements.
Prime Files for Data Centre in Dallas, Texas
Prime announces plans to establish a new data centre facility in Dallas, Texas, to meet the increasing demand for digital infrastructure services in the region
According to a recent filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Prime is looking to develop a three-story, 96,800 sq ft (8,995 sqm) data center at 1455 Round Table Drive in Dallas County.
“[A] three-story 96,796 sq ft data center building [to be] constructed in phases. The initial phase will consist of an unoccupied core and shell with site enhancements. The core package and shell will be designed to support the full build-out,” the project filing said.
Work on the $22 million project – adjacent to an existing data center Prime operates – is set to begin in May 2024 and run through to May 2025. AO Architects is the listed design firm.
Prime’s current portfolio is centered around California, with campuses in development in Chicago, Illinois, and Phoenix, Arizona.
The company also quietly updated its site in April 2023 to include Dallas. The company lists a presence at 1515 Round Table Drive in Dallas, where it offers 6MW across 106,865 sq ft (9,930 sqm).
The project aims to enhance data connectivity and support the growth of businesses requiring reliable and scalable data solutions.
Airtel Africa to Develop Data Centre in Kenya
Airtel Africa announces plans to develop a data centre facility in Kenya, reflecting the company’s commitment to expanding its digital infrastructure and enhancing connectivity services in the region.
According to current CEO Segun Ogunsanya, the Nairobi facility will have 7MW of IT capacity. Further details, including timelines, weren’t shared.
“We are going to break ground in Nigeria in the next couple of weeks and the one in Kenya will follow soon. Construction takes about two years, so we’re looking at them coming into operation probably sometime in mid-year 2026,” said Ogunsu in a conference call at the beginning of February.
Airtel Africa, owned by Indian telco Bharti Airtel, says that the local data center capacity will help to speed access to digital services and will improve the cost of managing data.
The data centre initiative aims to support the growing demand for cloud services and digital transformation across Africa.
South Korea Plans Largest Data Centre Cluster in Gangwon Province
South Korea unveils plans to establish the largest data centre cluster in Gangwon Province, reflecting the country’s efforts to strengthen its position as a leading hub for digital infrastructure in Asia.
South Korea is eyeing Gangwon Province as the prime location for its largest data center cluster. Government sources have unveiled plans for a 1-gigawatt (GW) data center hub near Gangneung and Donghae cities, capable of accommodating up to 50 data centers with an average capacity of 20 megawatts (MW) each.
Gangwon Province is located on the east coast and renowned for its nuclear and coal-fired power plants. Once the cluster is operational, this will rival the Solaseado data center park in South Jeolla Province, also projected at a scale of 1GW. Authorities are striving to expedite site selection and cluster formation, aiming to finalize locations, including existing industrial zones and unused land, by the end of 2024.
The initiative aims to attract investments and promote innovation in the region’s growing digital economy.