New AI-ready data centre campuses planned in Extremadura

MERLIN Properties and Edged Energy have unveiled plans for two 1GW artificial intelligence-ready data centre campuses in Spain, located in the Extremadura region.

The project involves collaborating with the regional government of Extremadura to create carbon-neutral campuses designed for advanced computing and generative AI. These facilities will be located in Navalmoral de la Mata and Valdecaballeros. Each is designed to provide up to 1GW of IT capacity and an average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.15.

The initiative will use Spain's wealth of renewable energy resources, which promise the lowest long-term costs in Europe. These factors, coupled with advanced high-speed fibre connectivity, position the Iberian Peninsula as a significant internet hub. The project benefits from the oversight of Edged Energy, known for developing sustainable data centres, partnered with MERLIN Properties, a prominent player in green real estate across Iberia.

Jakob Carnemark, CEO of Edged Energy, commented on the project's mission: "Our mission is to create data centers for positive impact, and we are proud to contribute to the Iberian Peninsula's growing digital economy. The region offers unprecedented fibre connectivity with massive submarine connections worldwide and boasts reliable, abundant, and low-cost renewable energy."

"Our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency aligns perfectly with Extremadura's commitment to use innovation and technology to combat climate change and help safeguard the area's natural resources."

These campuses are projected to operate entirely on electricity sourced from renewable energies, employing the ThermalWorks waterless cooling system. This system supports both traditional cooling methods and high-density liquid-cooled AI workloads, capable of managing rack densities up to 200kW per rack without water consumption.

The Iberian Peninsula's strategic connectivity is bolstered by its direct links to three out of the world's four fastest submarine cables, providing access to continents including Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

The Extremadura area features substantial capacity for generating sustainable energy primarily from renewables, currently producing six times its consumption. This has facilitated the decision to construct data centre sites that deliver 1GW of IT capacity each. The campuses are expected to foster the creation of high-skilled positions during their construction and operational phases, further boosting regional economic, social, and demographic development.

This venture underscores MERLIN and Edged's commitment to leveraging proprietary clean technologies and solid partnerships to create future-ready infrastructure. Their projects enhance Spain's industry leadership and demonstrate how arid regions with limited water resources can utilise modern technology to drive a burgeoning digital economy and effect change.