Google has acquired land in Finland's Kajaani and Muhos for future data center development.
The €27 million ($28.5m) deal gives Google 1,400 hectares of land across four parcels. The land was acquired from the state-run forest agency Metsähallitus.
Muhos is a municipality in northern Finland, while Kajaani is a town to its east in the municipality of Kainuu.
"It is a great pleasure to welcome Google to Kajaani," Jari Tolonen, Kajaani's mayor, said.
"Our data center ecosystem has been growing fast during the past years, and Google’s plan for the development of digital infrastructure is again a very positive signal for Kajaani, Kainuu region, and for northern and eastern Finland. We in Kajaani have invested heavily in developing the data center ecosystem, and we are ready for a long-term and diverse cooperation with Google."
Kajaani is home to Lumi, Europe's most powerful AI supercomputer, as well as a government facility and a Borealis data center. All three are set on the site of an old paper mill in Kajanni, which DCD visited for the next issue of our magazine.
Google's new land parcels are not at this mill, but the company's current Finnish data center is built out of a converted paper mill in Hamina. There, the company takes advantage of existing infrastructure to use seawater for cooling.
In May, Google announced a €1bn ($1.055bn) expansion to the site, bringing Google’s total investment in Finland to more than €4.5bn. From next year, the data center will provide 80 percent of the heat demand for the local neighborhood.
"For more than a decade, Finland has been home to our Google data center in Hamina, and we're dedicated to supporting the country's growing digital ambitions," Antti Järvinen, country director Google Finland, said.
"Even before a final investment decision is made for the development of the sites in Kajaani and Muhos, we are working in close consultation with local and national stakeholders on a plan that supports the long-term health of the community’s economy and natural resources. This is the first step in a long process."
Acquiring the land does not guarantee that the company will build a data center there - it has a history of banking land, sometimes reselling it in the future and developing elsewhere.
"I’m very pleased about Google’s announcement," Petteri Orpo, the Prime Minister of Finland, said.
"This acquisition builds a foundation for possible future investments and sends a clear message that we have managed to establish Finland as an interesting and secure country for investments. Government reforms are aiming to make Finland an even more attractive place for investments, and hard work has set us on the right path."
