Apple has set aside a €1.7 billion for establishing and operating absolutely green energy powered two data centers in Europe.
One facility will be located in County Galway of Ireland and another one at Central Jutland in Denmark.
These facilities are particularly meant for supplying power for the online services such as iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps and Siri for customers across Europe.
The two data centers, each measuring 166,000 square meters will be completed and begin operations in 2017.
The land acquired for the Ireland project will retain non-native trees to Derrydonnell Forest, with an aim to protect natural greener surroundings.
Besides, the Denmark project will be built near the electrical substation so that need for additional generators can be eliminated, reducing electrical costs considerably.
Moreover, the facility is designed in such a way that it can capture the excess heat generated inside, transporting it into the district heating system, which will help to warm surrounding homes.
“This significant new investment represents Apple’s biggest project in Europe to date. We’re thrilled to be expanding our operations, creating hundreds of local jobs and introducing some of our most advanced green building designs yet,” said Tim Cook, CEO, Apple.
This latest initiative by the IT giant is expected to boost up green industry growth in Ireland and Denmark, developing energy systems that harness strong wind resources of the region.
In addition, the project will also provide an outdoor education space for local schools as well as a walking trail for the community.
In Europe, Apple supports nearly 672,000 jobs and directly employs 18,300 people across 19 European countries.
Since the App Store’s debut in 2008, developers across Europe have earned more than €6.6 billion.
Last year, Apple spent more than €7.8 billion with European companies and suppliers helping build Apple products and support operations around the world.
Sabeena Wahid
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