Google to expand Frankfurt data centre footprint

Google has announced that it plans to expand its operations in Germany by investing US$1.1bn in new data centres. The company said this week it would expand its cloud region in Frankfurt with the addition of a new data centre in Hanau, ass well as launch a new region in Berlin-Brandenburg. 

Hanau data centre to feature adiabatic and dry cooling modes

The new Hanau data centre aims to be fully operational in 2022, developed by NDC-Garbe. The facility will have four storeys and a total of 10,000 square metres of space. Features include a combination of adiabatic and dry cooling modes to reduce the risk of water scarcity. 

Confirming its announcement in a blog post, Google said: “Between now (2021) and 2030, this investment in digital infrastructure and clean energy will total approximately €1 billion.” 

Spyridon Linardakis, Managing Director of NDC-GARBE, said: “We are very proud to take this important milestone at NDC-GARBE and to create a significant footprint in the Frankfurt region,” Spyridon Linardakis, Managing Director of NDC-GARBE, said last year when announcing the project for the then-unnamed client. “Our focus now is on the execution and delivery in time and on budget.”

Claus Kaminsky, Mayor of Hanau, said: “We are very pleased about the symbolic handover of the keys to the building here in Hanau to Google Cloud.”

The Berlin-Brandenburg cloud region 

Google also announced a new cloud region in Berlin Brandenburg. Despite not releasing much information or specific details, the region will be the company’s second in Germany. Google said in a statement that the region will be designed and dedicated to providing enterprise services and products for Google Cloud customers of all sizes and industries in Germany” and that it will have “three zones to protect against service disruptions”

Bernd Leukert, Chief Technology, Data and Innovation Officer and Member of the Management Board at Deutsche Bank, added: “We welcome the new Google Cloud region in Germany, which will enable us to deliver additional resilience and performance for our German client base.”