A consortium in Manchester compromising property developer Ask:Goodman, Internet hosting specialistUKFast.Net and with the support of Manchester city council, is planning to build the world's first large scale green' hosting facility and Internet hub.
Making use of the latest techniques to minimise carbon emissions, the facility will sited in Central Park, East Manchester with the intent of being operational by mid-2008.
The facility will be the first large-scale green hosting center in the world and will generate some of its own renewable energy as well as re-using the large amount of heat generated by server computers. The latest low-power computers will also be installed.
Shaun Fensom, one of the backers, claimed that the other such facilities are currently only to be found in the States and are much smaller, although he added that others are now being considered elsewhere internationally.
Dave Carter, head of the Manchester Digital Development Agency, part of the City Council, said: "Manchester is already the UK's second hub for Internet traffic, and this facility will help satisfy the massive demand for capacity in the city, as well as being the first significant step to a greener Internet.
Companies using the facility will be able to join on a co-operative basis under which they will co-own the center.
Ask:Goodman is the developer behind Central Park, one of the largest urban business parks in the UK, and home to Fujitsu. Co-founder Simon Bate said: "This exciting development will be a world first. The state-of-the art facilities will be a major boon for high-tech businesses locating in Central Park and the surrounding areas of North and East Manchester.