Google opens Waltham Cross data centre

Google announced the opening of its data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as part of a two-year £5 billion investment in the UK.

The Waltham Cross data centre is designed to minimise its environmental impact. The facility uses advanced air-cooling technology to limit water usage to domestic use and is also equipped to support off-site heat recovery, meaning heat from the data centre can be re-routed and provided free of charge to help warm local homes, schools or businesses.

Opened on the 16^th September by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the data centre will help meet growing demand for Google's AI-powered services like Google Cloud, Workspace, Search and Maps. More than 250 companies worked on building the facility – the majority of them local.

The £5 billion investment includes Google's capital expenditure, research and development, and related engineering over the next two years – and encompasses Google DeepMind with its AI research in science and healthcare. The investments will help the UK develop its AI economy and are projected to create 8,250 jobs annually at UK businesses.

Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer said:  "This government is reversing decades of underinvestment that has held us back for too long, by slashing burdensome red tape, delivering bold reforms of the planning system and investing in better tech to unlock better jobs and opportunities. Through our Plan for Change we are building an economy that works for, and rewards, working people."

"With today's announcement, Google is deepening our roots in the UK and helping support Great Britain's potential with AI to add £400 billion to the economy by 2030 while also enhancing critical social services. said Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet and Google.

Google also announced it has selected Shell Energy Europe as its 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Manager in the UK, an agreement which will contribute to grid stability and the UK's energy transition.

Shell will manage a power portfolio for Google that addresses the intermittency of clean energy generation through access to battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Shell will optimise Google's existing clean energy portfolio, including the off-take from its long-term agreement with ENGIE from the Moray West project in Scotland, storing surplus energy when production is high and releasing stored power back to the grid when production is low. Between the Shell alliance and Google's other clean energy initiatives, Google's UK operations are projected to run at or near 95% carbon-free-energy in 2026.