Facebook Continues Data Center Expansions
Facebook has announced that it is planning to build its third data center in the northern Swedish city of Luleå, significantly growing the social media giant's footprint in Europe.
To meet the company's massive processing requirements, the facility will span a million square feet (approx. 93,000 sq m). For comparison's sake, an eight-rack server room with an internal HVAC system and a cold aisle would measure approximately 500 square feet.
Facebook's first data center in Luleå launched in 2013 following a 2011 construction start. The company plans to bring the latest data center online in 2021. According to Business Sweden, the Luleå region provides vast reserves of affordable renewable energy. Luleå is second only to Stockholm in terms of contribution to Sweden's GDP, being a prime location for mining and various industrial pursuits as well as an academic hub. Facebook is also undertaking an expansion of its Altoona, Iowa (USA) location, with the investment there expected to reach (USD) $1.5 billion once the existing campus undergoes another planned expansion.
In addition to Facebook's commitments in Sweden and the United States, Amazon Web Services is also in the process of finalizing the construction of three data centers in the Stockholm region, and work on the land plot Google acquired in Sweden to prepare for a possible data center project continues, according to business reports.
