Google revises plans for Chile data centre following court ruling
Following a local court’s ruling, Google will start fresh with new plans for a Santiago data centre that will include air-cooling technology to address water usage concerns.
Google has announced it will redesign its plans for a $200 million data centre in Santiago, Chile, after concerns were raised about its environmental impact. The company will start the project from scratch following a ruling by a local environmental court, which partially reversed a 2020 permit and called for a reassessment in light of climate change.
Originally approved in 2020, the project faced backlash from residents and officials due to fears over its effects on Santiago’s drought-stricken aquifer. Data centres require significant amounts of water for cooling, an issue of concern given Chile’s ongoing drought for over a decade.
Google has informed Chile‘s environmental regulator that it will not proceed with its original plans for the Cerrillos neighbourhood. Instead, the tech giant plans to introduce a new proposal that incorporates air-cooling technology to mitigate environmental concerns.
The company is expected to submit a fresh application, addressing local concerns and aiming to reduce the project’s environmental footprint, as it continues to work on its data centre plans in Santiago.
About author
DW Team
The GIP Digital Watch Observatory team, consisting of over 30 digital policy experts from around the world, excels in the fields of research and analysis on digital policy issues. The team is backed by the creative prowess of Creative Lab Diplo and the technical expertise of the Diplo tech team.