Friday, 12 Feb 2010
Scotland has huge riches in renewable energy, which open up new opportunities for energy-intensive businesses
Dr Richard Dixon
World Wildlife Fund Director
Google plans wave-powered data centre
The massed computers, installed in boats moored offshore, would be powered by Pelamis wave-energy generators and cooled by seawater.
Says World Wildlife Fund Director Dr Richard Dixon: “Scotland has huge riches in renewable energy, which open up new opportunities for energy-intensive businesses. The combination of 100% clean energy and an IT-savvy workforce makes Scotland the ideal location for Europe's growing number of data centres.”
"As they are doubling their energy requirement every five to eight years, they desperately need to reduce their environmental impact” continued Dixon.
Google’s green initiative - it is talking with trade and inward investment body Scottish Development International (SDI) – is welcomed by Roy Kirk, boss of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
He says: "SDI has had a number of contacts with Google and other large companies about the Pentland Firth and data centres. We welcome any interest in the firth, and are pleased to work with any companies and discuss their requirements.
Environment and renewable energy
Read more about Environment and renewable energy.
Atlantis Resources Corporation and US bank Morgan Stanley are planning a £300 million tide-powered turbine array on the firth’s seabed designed to power a data centre near the Castle of Mey.
If it goes ahead, the scheme is expected to create 100 jobs, possibly rising to 700, over the next two to three years. The 150 megawatt array is scheduled to be built by 2011.
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