Welcome to Finland, Google III

Google is setting up a server farm in an old paper mill in the city of Hamina, Finland. I've been writing about the story since February 2009 when the rumors first came out, with a follow-up in March 2009 as Google themselves announced their intention. At that time Google was very secretive about their plans, but last week they arranged a walk-tour for Finnish media in the factory halls.

The data center will be operational at the end of this year, or latest beginning of next year. Once up and running, it will employ some 50 people. However, according to Invest in Finland the positive impact to Finland is not in the number of jobs that Google themselves are creating, but the positive image for the country, and the city of Hamina. Interest and international customer numbers have already increased, they comment.

Watch a Helsingin Sanomat interview video from the factory visit.

The deal between Google and Stora Enso, the paper mill selling these facilities, include an intersting side-contract. The size of land area that Google purchased was 125 hectares, but from this they will actually donate 47 hectares to the city of Hamina. This 47 hectares will be used for building an industrial park, including four wind power plants.

Google plans not to use the wind energy in their operations. It would be interesting to know why not. Instead, they do intend to build a unique cooling system utilizing the nearby sea. Seawater is directed into the building where is circulates cooling down the servers. The warm water is drained back to the sea. Google's intention is to cool the warm water to "quite close to the original temperature" before it hits the sea. I have no doubt that the company understands how important it is not to warm the Baltic Sea, an area that is already suffering a great deal from too much nutrients.

Google's own Hamina Data Center pages here.

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Posted by Petra S at 1/17/2010 12:56 PM
Categories: Innovation stuff,Phones'n'Stuff
Tags: Mobile technology Sustainability
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