Google submits planning application for new data center in Belgium | Technique

According to DataNews, the other two data centers will cover a larger area. Reportedly, the second data center will be around 20,000 square meters and the third data center up to 30,000 square meters. It is not yet clear when these data centers will be built. Google has not yet applied for permits for these latter data centers.

In 2021, the American technology company bought 51 hectares of land in Farciennes: a Walloon commune in the department of Hainaut. The land is located in the Ecopôle Business park in Farciennes, east of the Charleroi and on the banks of the Sambre.

To combat global warming, Google provides solar panels, energy storage via batteries, and rational use of water in the new building. In addition, the municipality and the local inter-municipal company Igretec will be able to use the heat produced by the data center for the urban heating network.

The new data pool will be Google’s sixth in Belgium. Currently, the American company has five similar centers in the Walloon commune of Saint-Ghislain. The first complex was built in 2005. Almost 3 billion euros have already been invested in activities there. More than 400 people work there.

In the short term, the site in Farciennes should also provide 400 direct jobs and an equal number of indirect jobs.

The municipality of Farciennes isn’t the only place where Google bought land a while ago. Last year it became known that Google had bought 36 hectares of land in La Louvière: another commune in Hainaut department. However, it is not yet clear what Google intends to do with this land.