There’s nothing surprising about Google expanding and creating new data centers, right? However, choosing to convert an actual coal power plant into a data center is something that I did not anticipate. This is actually a pretty smart move if you think about it, as Google does not need to build its new Alabama center from scratch as long as it can operate within an existing building. The Widows Creek factory in Jackson County will close its doors in October because of certain regulation changes concerning the monitoring and storage of coal ash.
This factory has been giving out power to the county since the 1960s, and Google is now planning to make good use of its electric transmission lines. Still, it looks like the company won’t actually be using any fossil fuels in order to obtain power for the data center but will work closely with local authorities in order to secure renewable energy sources that will feed right into the factory’s electrical grid. The building’s transformation is scheduled to begin early next year.
This is not the first time that Google has repurposed an old building, as its Finland data center used to be an old paper mill.
Thank you Engadget for providing us with this information.
