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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Facebook Plans Major Data Center In Odense, Denmark

02/02/2017
Facebook will build a new data center powered by renewable energy on 124 acres just outside Odense, Denmark, the country’s third largest city on an Island 104 miles southwest of Copenhagen.

"The Odense data center will be one of the most advanced, energy efficient data centers in the world," said Facebook's director of data center operations, Niall McEntegart. A local newspaper said the center would cost more than $100 million and create 150 jobs.

"Our mission at Facebook is to connect the world, and our data centers house the infrastructure that make it possible to connect billions of people," he added. "Odense is not just a great site for a data center. It's also a great city that we look forward to living in."

One big factor to establishing the center in Denmark is country’s climate that could help to cool servers instead of relying on air conditioners. Denmark has an average temperature of 46°F. February is the coldest month with average temperatures of 32°F, and August hottest month with average temperatures of 60F.

According to State of Green, a public-private partnership founded by the Danish Government, the Confederation of Danish Industry, the Danish Energy Association, the Danish Agriculture & Food Council and the Danish Wind Industry Association, “the decision follows Apple’s billion investment in a data centre in Viborg in Western Denmark in 2015 and strengthens Denmark’s position as an attractive location for global data centres. Following three years of confidential preparations with Danish authorities and business partners, the American IT-giant, Facebook, has decided to establish a 55,000 m2 data centre in Odense, Denmark."

Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Anders Samuelsen, said “I am very happy that Denmark has managed to attract yet another big foreign direct investment. Although only 1% of all companies in Denmark are foreign, they are responsible for 20% of all Danish jobs. For this reason, the Danish Government works continuously to attract more foreign investments to Denmark. Facebook’s investment is the result of a strong collaboration between Invest in Denmark, the Investment Promotion Association of Western Denmark and Odense municipality, and a great example of how joint efforts can create jobs, growth and development in Denmark.”

Danish Minister for Energy, Utilities and Climate, Lars Christian Lilleholt, added “As a Minister appointed on Fyn, I am of course proud of Facebook's investment in Odense, but this investment also represents a broad recognition of Denmark as a country that has something special to offer. We have one of the world's best energy systems with large amounts of green energy, high energy security, speedy fiber connections and competitive energy prices. This billion kroner investment shows that we are in the top league, and further, that maintaining this position, which the government is committed to, will produce tangible results.

With Facebook’s investment, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Brian Mikkelsen, predicts that the most important factor going ahead will be to secure long-term planning and Denmark’s ability to develop the appropriate skills and strongholds.

He said, “Facebooks choice of Denmark is largely due to our effective and attractive business environment. Denmark has earned international top rankings, most recently as number six in Forbes' 2016 “Best Country for Business.” Now we should put our efforts into matching our business development to a still more digital future. Data centres are part of the way forward.”

“There is a large growth potential for downstream industries specialised in data centre solutions. The three ministers expect Facebook’s decision to further strengthen Denmark’s chances of becoming a Northern European hub for data centres and increase the focus on business opportunities in Denmark,” he added.

The Facebook director at the upcoming datacentre, Niall McEntegart has also expressed his enthusiasm for the high level of energy efficiency at the data centre. According to him, the energy applied at the data centre will be 100 percent sustainable.

Facebook already has a data center in Lulea, Sweden and another in Clonee, Ireland.

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