The American technology company Google has initiated construction on its first self-developed data center in Sweden, located in Horndal, to accommodate the increasing demand for its digital services, including Search, Cloud, Workspace, and YouTube.
As shared in their announcement, the facility is expected to create 100 direct full-time positions, with economic projections indicating that every direct role will support an additional 2.3 jobs within the broader national economy. The construction phase currently involves partnerships with nearly 60 Swedish suppliers. Alongside the development, Google has launched a 5 million euro community fund aimed at local education, workforce upskilling, and sustainability projects.
The facility’s design incorporates infrastructure intended to address regional resource management and environmental goals. To limit water consumption to domestic and sanitary purposes, the site will implement an air-cooling system rather than traditional water-based cooling. Additionally, the data center is engineered for off-site heat recovery, allowing excess thermal energy to be routed to local homes and businesses. The operations are structured to align with Google’s target of utilizing 24/7 carbon-free energy, drawing from the 700 megawatts of renewable capacity established through the company’s Swedish wind energy contracts since 2013.
