Particle.news
Download on the App Store
17 ARTICLES
·
4d ago

Google Pledges £5 Billion to UK as It Opens First British Data Centre

The move is tied to a week of US‑UK tech dealmaking during President Trump’s state visit.

Image
The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 10, 2024. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo
Image
Image

Overview

  • Google said it will invest £5 billion over the next two years in the UK, covering capital expenditure, research and development, and engineering that includes work by Google DeepMind.
  • The company opened a new data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, to meet rising demand for AI and cloud services, using air‑cooling to cut water use and routing surplus heat to nearby buildings.
  • Google projects the investment will support about 8,250 jobs annually across British businesses.
  • The firm agreed a partnership with Shell to help stabilize the grid, with UK operations expected to run at or near 95% carbon‑free energy in 2026.
  • Officials expect more than $10 billion in wider deals during the visit, while UK opposition figures demand a parliamentary vote on a proposed US‑UK tech arrangement.