Latest news with #datacentres
RNZ News
a day ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Needy data centres showing up in water-scarce areas
Photo: A joint investigation by UK media company, The Guardian, and a non-profit investigating organisation, Source Material, has found that big tech companies are operating data centres that use vast amounts of water in areas of the world where water is scarce. The companies are also reported to be building many more. The developments could potentially have a huge impact on populations already living with water shortages. In response to questions from the two media organisations, Amazon and Google defended their developments, saying they always take water scarcity into account. The reporters used local news reports and industry sources to compile a map of 632 datacentres - either built or under development. Kathryn speak to one of the reporters from Source Material involved in the investigation, Constanza Gambarini.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Mercury Engineering aims for €3bn revenue within five years
Specialist builder Mercury aims to boost annual revenues by two-thirds to €3 billion by 2029, the Irish company says in a document setting out its plans for the next five years. The news comes just weeks after the builder of data centres and pharmaceutical and microchip factories reported that it earned €114 million in profit last year. Mercury's target for annual revenues of €3 billion from 2029 is 66 per cent more than the €1.8 billion it reported for last year. The Dublin-headquartered business operates from 20 locations across Europe. READ MORE Its strategy document, titled Go Beyond, focuses on several European regions where Mercury believes there are opportunities for growth. These include the Nordics, where the company calculates it can grow turnover to €750 million in 2029 from €69 million last year. In Germany, Mercury believes it can boost sales to €850 million from €580 million last year. The Irish company is building a new base in Schönebeck, which is about two hours southwest of Berlin. That will serve as a key centre for operations across Europe. In Italy and Spain, Mercury is targeting turnover of €300 million in 2029 from €128 million in 2024. Chief executive Eoin Vaughan said having a strong 'localised presence in mainland Europe' was a priority for the group as it prepared to expand. 'We will maintain our position as the European leader in data centre construction,' he says. 'The next five years will see enhanced growth in life sciences.' Mr Vaughan said Mercury would continue working with multinational clients in the semiconductor business. When it reported results this month, Mercury said data centre construction contributed €1.55 billion to sales last year, with semiconductors adding €154 million and life sciences €81 million.
CNA
6 days ago
- Business
- CNA
German landlord Aroundtown looks to convert offices into data centres
Aroundtown, one of the largest German-listed landlords, is planning to convert office spaces into data centres as demand for them grows in Europe, the group said on Wednesday after announcing it had tripled its first-quarter profit. Aroundtown has been facing higher vacancy rates in its office spaces, the biggest segment of its portfolio, since the COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift to remote work. It has already been converting some of its less sought-after office rentals into serviced apartments, most of which are expected to enter operation in 2026. Timothy Wright, Aroundtown's Head of Investor Relations, said the Luxembourg-based company was in the early stages of obtaining regulatory approvals for data centre conversions and it hoped to team up with more specialised companies. Potential tenants could be companies active in businesses ranging from cloud computing to autonomous driving, he said. "In five years time, let's hope we have some data centres in our portfolio," Wright said in an interview. "It's a different asset class for us ... We need to build up the IT know-how for the setup." The main challenges for data centre conversions in Germany include municipal regulatory permit approvals and obtaining confirmation from power providers that required energy needs can be met, he said. "It takes a few years until we can get to, let's say, crystalising the gains," Wright said. So far Aroundtown has received one regulatory permit to convert an office space into a data centre in Frankfurt, though it has not yet received the go-ahead for its electricity usage. Upon obtaining the required approvals, Aroundtown could either sell the properties for quick cash or undertake the conversions itself, Wright said. Data centre tenants typically have their own specific requirements, he added, so Aroundtown would aim to ensure they are already leasing the properties before the construction to convert them begins. "You can build a data center and go to Amazon, and they're like, 'Yeah, actually, this is not really what we need,'" he said.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Data centre blitz threatens Labour's net zero hopes
Sir Keir Starmer's bid to boost the economy with a slew of new data centres threatens to undermine Labour's net zero goals, campaigners have warned. Just one £10bn data centre project in the North East will emit as much carbon dioxide as one of Britain's busiest airports, highlighting the difficult trade-offs facing the Prime Minister as he seeks to both improve growth and reduce emissions. A complex of 10 facilities near Blyth, Northumberland, will generate more greenhouse gas emissions than Birmingham Airport, which carries 12m passengers per year, planning documents show. The project, which will cover 133 acres, is being helmed by Blackstone-backed QTS and was touted by the Prime Minister last September as a 'huge vote of confidence in the UK'. Work is expected to start on the site later this year. Martha Dark, of the non-profit group Foxglove, said: 'It is difficult to see how the Government plans to reach its manifesto commitment of hitting net zero by 2050 when it is approving construction projects that add the impact of a major regional airport to our annual emissions.' Data centres are crucial to artificial intelligence (AI) and Sir Keir has made establishing them a key priority as he seeks to harness the new technology. Data centres were designated as critical national infrastructure last September and the Prime Minister has identified certain areas as 'AI growth zones', making it is easier to build there. The projects require huge amounts of power. In a report this week, Alex de Vries-Gao, founder of the Digiconomist website, calculated AI data centres would need 23GW of power worldwide by the end of 2025. The UK's average national power demand is around 30GW. Tech companies have turned to nuclear to try and meet the surging demand for power in an environmentally friendly way, including restarting ageing plants. However, the industry has struggled to bring nuclear power online fast enough to meet rising demand. Both Microsoft and Google reported increases in their carbon emissions in their latest annual reports. In a paper published in the journal Joule, Mr de Vries-Gao said: 'There are early indications that these data centres could exacerbate dependence on fossil fuels.' The 'hyperscale' data centre in Blyth, which received the green light earlier this month, will emit 184,160 tonnes of CO2 per year once operational. Northumberland County Council, which approved the scheme, said the facility would double its overall industrial emissions and represent 12pc of the county's overall emissions by 2030. Council documents show officials asked QTS to consider adding more renewable power or battery storage facilities to its plans, however the developer had 'discounted' these as impractical. The data facility's expected emissions assume the UK remains on track with its plans to decarbonise the grid. In an environmental report submitted by QTS, the operator said it had received feedback that the council was concerned the project could 'throw off' the local authority's own green target of carbon neutrality by 2030. Councillors agreed to proceed with the scheme regardless. Ms Dark said: 'The most optimistic forecasts for this new hyperscale data centre in Northumberland say it would create close to 200,000 tonnes of new carbon emissions each year – somewhere between the annual emissions of Birmingham and Edinburgh airports.' A Government spokesman said: 'Our Clean Power Action Plan will enable the development of new energy intensive industries such as data centres, helping to grow the economy. 'Advanced modular reactors will play a particularly important role in growing energy-hungry sectors like AI and we're shaking up the planning rules to make it easier to build nuclear power stations across the country.' A Northumberland County Council spokesman said: 'The council's strategic planning committee carefully considered a wide range of issues contained within the environmental statement submitted as part of the application under the EIA regulations. 'In making their decision members noted that the applicant will be utilising a high number of sustainable practices which will help to mitigate its carbon footprint. The applicant will also continue to look at innovative technology throughout the life of the development, which could in the future help to mitigate against this further.' A QTS spokesman said: 'The right energy mix is crucial for building this vital infrastructure. From day one, our industry-leading design and advanced water-cooling systems will drive maximum energy efficiency. We are further committed to finding new ways to reducing future emissions by integrating renewables into our energy supply and repurposing residual heat to benefit the local community.' Blackstone bought the site in Blyth, Northumberland, that QTS now plans to develop last year after the failure of Britishvolt, an electric vehicle battery business, which had originally intended to develop the land. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Zawya
21-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Bain Capital unveils hscale and charts a course for rapid expansion of hyperscale data centres across EMEA
London, UK - Bain Capital, a leading global private investment firm, today announced the launch of hyperscale provider hscale, marking the next step in the firm's expansion of its digital infrastructure footprint across the EMEA region. As part of this journey, which started with the acquisition of AQ Compute in October 2024, hscale is led by a newly appointed, highly experienced leadership team, and is underpinned by Bain Capital's proven strategies from successful data centre investments in Asia and the United States. hscale, custom built for growth and excellence, is committed to developing customer friendly, replicable and scalable digital infrastructure across the EMEA region that is bespoke to hyperscale customers' evolving requirements. Industry veterans make up the leadership team, including CEO Oliver Schiebel, who brings extensive experience from his tenure as CEO of Mainova WebHouse. The team has collectively delivered 6.85 GW of data centre capacity across EMEA and APAC, positioning hscale to meet the unprecedented demand for bespoke, high-capacity data centres. Aquila Group, the former owner of AQ Compute and a leader in sustainable assets, retains a 20 percent shareholding in hscale. The company will continue to contribute its renewable energy and sustainability expertise. In collaboration with Aquila Group and its subsidiary, Aquila Clean Energy, hscale will deploy low-carbon technologies and renewable energy solutions for its hyperscaler clients. In addition, Aquila Group will support hscale's growth ambitions with substantial investments. hscale Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Schiebel, said: ' hscale is set to leverage the robust capabilities and strategic assets of our heritage firm, aligning them with the innovative strategies and global expertise of Bain Capital. With access to cleaner energy projects, we will develop future-proof, scalable digital infrastructure tailored to the evolving needs of hyperscalers, driven by the rapid growth of AI and cloud services. Our friendly, honest and timely customer service sets hscale apart, allowing our customers the quickest journey to market.' Michael Huber, a Principal at Bain Capital, added: 'With a planned multi-billion Euro investment over the coming years, hscale is poised for rapid expansion. Our strategic pipeline includes over 1GW of projects in key locations such as Milan, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Oslo, Barcelona, and Zaragoza, with more than 100MW already under construction. This positions hscale to deliver near-term solutions that meet the specific requirements of our hyperscaler clients.' Official Launch at Datacloud Global Congress hscale will officially launch at the Datacloud Global Congress in Cannes in June 2025, where the company will serve as a Gold Sponsor. Chief Technology Officer, Abed Jishi, will participate in a panel discussion on 5th June, showcasing hscale's strategic vision and commitment to excellence. About Bain Capital Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private multi-asset alternative investment firms that creates lasting impact for our investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which we live. Since our founding in 1984, we've applied our insight and experience to organically expand into numerous asset classes including private equity, credit, public equity, venture capital, real estate and other strategic areas of focus. The firm has offices on four continents, more than 1,750 employees and approximately $185 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit About hscale hscale is a pan-European data centre platform delivering sustainable and AI-ready infrastructure. Founded in 2025, it is a joint venture between Bain Capital and Aquila Group. With facilities across Europe, hscale serves hyperscalers and cloud services with high-performance, flexible infrastructure. Its designs feature ultra-high-density cooling, liquid cooling and heat reuse to support clients' ESG goals. Learn more at Press contacts: Bain Capital: Jason Lobo, Bain Capital jlobo@ Camarco baincapital@ hscale: Stefanie Casall, hscale APCO: hscaleEMEA@
