| Developers: | Microsoft |
| Technology: | DPC |
2024
In the United States, the emergency nuclear power plant for the supply of electricity Microsoft
On September 20, 2024, the American company Constellation Energy announced the conclusion of a multi-year agreement with Microsoft, which provides for the resumption of operation of the Three Mile Island emergency nuclear power plant (Three Mile Island). Under the contract, signed for 20 years, Microsoft will purchase generated electricity for its facilities. Read more here
Data center emissions 662% higher than Microsoft, Apple and Google claim
In mid-September 2024, it became known that emissions from internal data centers of Google, Microsoft, Meta (in Russia this company is recognized as extremist, its activities are prohibited in the country) and Apple can be 7.62 times higher than official data. Read more here
Take-off of CAPEX for AI
2022: Construction of a data center for $317 million in Chile
On January 24, 2022, Microsoft presented plans to develop a data center worth $317 million to a city in Santiago, Chile. A month earlier, the company submitted its SLC03 project to Chile's Environmental Assessment Service (SEA) to assess its feasibility. Under the plans, the 6.8-hectare site, located in Santiago's Cilicura neighborhood, would include a single data center building divided into two parts and built in two phases. The first phase of construction is estimated to take 17 months.
 | The project mainly provides for the construction and operation of one storage building divided into two blocks (COLO1 and COLO2), where the technological equipment of the data center and all the necessary infrastructure for its work will be installed, the application says. |  |
The application also states that the project will include an administration building and a 26 MW substation.
Microsoft Chile did not provide a forecast for the completion of work and activation of the site. In a statement, the company said its "data center regions are complex large-scale infrastructure projects."
| | The Chilean data center region supports our sustainability goals, including our commitment to move to 100% renewable energy in Microsoft data centers by 2025, it said. | |
The Chilean data center project is estimated at $317 million, which the company called the most significant investment in its 28-year history in the country. This is part of the Transforma Chile initiative, which is expected to generate about $11.3 billion in new revenue and add an estimated 51,000 new jobs to Chile's economy over the next 4 years, the company said during a presentation.[1]
2021
Launch of 3 data centers in Sweden
On October 17, 2021, Microsoft announced the opening of data centers (data centers) in Sweden. They work entirely on clean energy and are positioned as the most "green" data centers at the corporation.
Microsoft claims the new data center regions, created through a partnership with state-owned Vattenfall AB, are a showcase of its sustainability investments and run on 100% carbon-free energy while supporting zero-waste operations.
| | Our Swedish data centers are among the most sustainably designed and operated in the world. This is an important step for Sweden and Europe, as I strongly believe that new technological innovation is the most important contributing factor to the global sustainable development goals, "said Helene Barnecow, Microsoft's general manager in Sweden. | |
Barnekow added that the new data centers will also become Microsoft's third European Circular Center to repurpose servers and hardware in the data center.
Microsoft claims that with the addition of a new data center, Swedish circular centers will be able to support 12,000 servers per month.
In an attempt to bolster Microsoft's 2030 push for climate protection, servers inside the data center will be cooled only by outdoor air throughout the year. Rainwater will be collected at the site, which will mainly be used for humidification and to maintain data center facilities.
| | In addition, Sweden is the first Microsoft data center region whose backup generators will run on Preem Evolution Diesel Plus, the world's first environmentally labeled Scandinavian fuel that contains at least 50% renewable raw materials and an almost equivalent reduction in net carbon dioxide emissions compared to standard mixtures of fossil diesel fuel, Microsoft shared. | |
The company adds that from November 17, 2021, its new eco-friendly data centers are open for business with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365.[2]
Microsoft has figured out how to reduce water consumption in data centers by 95%
After a large-scale study, Microsoft found a technological way to ensure the efficient operation of servers in its data centers in conditions of higher temperatures than usual, the company said at the end of October 2021. Due to this, it expects to reduce the consumption of water, which is used to cool servers, by 95%, or 5.7 billion liters, by 2024. This initiative was announced as part of a course to reduce Microsoft's carbon footprint.
| | We are implementing new measures to reduce the amount of cooling water used in our adiabatic-cooled data centers by 95% by 2024. In many places, such as Amsterdam, Dublin, Chicago and Virginia, it is possible to completely abandon the use of water. In others, such as Phoenix, it can be reduced by 60%. And all this without compromising the energy efficiency of the data center, - said TAdviser at the head office of the company. | |
Microsoft headquarters also explained to TAdviser how exactly the company is going to achieve the announced indicators. Microsoft collects a huge amount of telemetry data about its data centers, including temperature and humidity, which are very important to maintain server life and reliability. Using this data, the company decided to conduct a study that checks how high the temperatures of servers in the data center can be before this affects their reliability.
| | We conducted this study using telemetry from data centers around the world, millions of hours of operation on a variety of equipment, as well as using our testing capabilities on large groups of servers in production. Our research confirms that we are able to ensure optimal server operation using only external air cooling and minimal or complete lack of water use, the company says. - Further tests are underway to determine what the top point for server temperatures should be in order to achieve this goal of reducing water consumption. | |
Microsoft's commitment to become a water-efficient company by 2030 requires it to consider every aspect of its operations to reduce and eliminate water use. In addition to investing in research into advanced technologies such as two-phase liquid immersion cooling, which pave the way for anhydrous cooling, Microsoft also needs to consider shorter-term solutions to significantly reduce the use of water for cooling, the company says.
| | With the extensive telemetry we have about the temperature and humidity in our global data centers and the ability to test on large groups of servers in production, we have determined that a fairly simple change in our operations is required that could have a significant impact, TAdviser explained at Microsoft. | |
Adiabatic cooling, which is used in Microsoft data centers, involves the use of outdoor air instead of water for cooling. In all global Microsoft data centers, natural outdoor air cooling is the main method of cooling for an average of nine months per year. External temperatures and humidity play a key role in determining when additional cooling is required. The company notes that the adiabatic cooling system is highly efficient, consumes less electricity and uses 90% less water than other water-based cooling systems.
Microsoft's data center design uses outside air instead of water to cool when temperatures are below 29.4 degrees Celsius. When the temperature exceeds 29.4 degrees, an evaporative cooling system is used.
Microsoft plans to build 100 data centers a year
At the end of April 2021 Microsoft , it announced that it plans to spend billions dollars on the construction of up to 100 new data centers ones annually. New centers Microsoft Azure will appear in ten countries by the end of 2021.
Although the company did not disclose the location of all planned data centers, it is known that Microsoft plans to invest $1 billion over the next five years Malaysia in building several data center regions. Microsoft is also building new centers across all states, USA from Fulton County, Georgia, to San Antonio, state. Texas
Microsoft is among a dozen companies involved in hyperscale data centers in 2021 and operates more than 200 centers in 34 regions, according to CRN. Microsoft is one of the biggest sponsors of the data center market, along with companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft. Due to the pandemic, data center spending reached a record $37 billion in the third quarter of 2020. AWS, Microsoft and Google collectively account for more than 50% of the world's largest data centers worldwide, according to market research firm Synergy Research Group.
Global spending on public cloud infrastructure is also reaching new heights. According to the research company IDC, in the third quarter of 2020, these expenses reached $13.3 billion, which is 13% more than in 2019.
Microsoft Corporate Vice President Noelle Walsh said the company is set to build 50 to 100 new data centers each year for the foreseeable future. Walsh did not specify whether those figures include consolidation, redevelopment of older facilities or partnerships with other companies.[3]
Microsoft invests $1 billion to create data centers in Malaysia
In mid-April 2021, Microsoft announced an investment of $1 billion over the next five years in the development of Malaysian data centers as part of a new partnership program with government agencies and companies in the country.
This investment will be Microsoft's largest investment in technological development. Malaysia The announcement came shortly after the country's leadership in February 2021 gave Microsoft,, and Google Amazon state telco Telekom Malaysia permission to create and manage hyperscale data centers and cloud services.
It should be noted that in 2020 Malaysia experienced a sharp decline in foreign direct investment by 68% - the most serious crisis in Southeast Asia. Now Malaysia's finance minister has revealed the country is seeking incentives to attract more foreign investment.
As part of the Bersama Malaysia initiative, Microsoft will create its first "data center region," which will include several data centers in Malaysia to manage data from different countries, Prime Minister Muhiddin Yassin said at a special event to launch the program.
| | The upcoming program will be a game changer for Malaysia, said Microsoft Executive Vice President Jean-Philippe Courtois, adding that the new investment will allow government and business to "transform" their operations. | |
Cloud service providers are expected to invest $2.91-3.64 billion over the next five years. Under the program, Microsoft will also help a million Malaysians acquire digital skills by the end of 2023.[4]
2020
Microsoft to build data center in Denmark
In early December 2020 Microsoft , it announced a construction data center c. Denmark Thus, the American company continues to expand the network of its data centers used to operate cloud services.
As part of the project to create a data center in Denmark, Microsoft also undertakes to provide digital skills to 200 thousand people in the country by 2024. The new data center, which will run 100% on renewable energy and have multiple availability zones, will support Microsoft's standard suite of cloud products: Azure, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, as well as Power Platform.
Microsoft's idea is to provide access to the company's tools and services with minimal delay. The tech giant's strategy is to cover the entire world with local data centers. A prime example of this is Europe, with regions (both active and declared) already in about ten countries. In the United States, Azure has 13 regions as of early December 2020 (including three exclusively for government agencies), and a new region on the West Coast will soon appear.
| | It's a big day for Microsoft in Denmark. The creation of a hyperscale data center in Denmark means that we will store Danish data in Denmark, make computing more accessible at even higher speeds, secure data with our world-class security system, protect data with Danish privacy laws, and provide the people of Denmark with digital skills training opportunities. This investment reflects our deep appreciation for Denmark's environmental and digital leadership around the world and our commitment to its future.[5] | |
Microsoft to launch first data centers in Taiwan
At the end of October 2020, Microsoft announced plans to build its first data centers in Taiwan. This will be the company's largest investment in the island nation.
Microsoft did not give specific dates for the launch of data centers, but it is known that the new region will be launched with several availability zones, which for Microsoft are autonomous data centers with independent power, network and cooling for additional fault tolerance.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called Microsoft's investment a sign of closer cooperation between the United States and Taiwan. She said:
| | Taiwan has an indispensable advantage in the production of high-quality equipment, and we are a reliable and safe partner for the United States and other developed countries. Microsoft's investments are key for us in expanding cooperation with the international community and the United States. | |
| | Technology plays a crucial role everywhere in supporting economic recovery and opportunity. Microsoft is committed to encouraging local innovation to support digital transformation in Taiwan's public and private sectors, said Jean-Philippe Courtois, executive vice president and president of global sales, marketing and operations at Microsoft. | |
| | Our new investment in Taiwan reflects our belief in its strong hardware and software integration capabilities. With Taiwan's expertise in hardware manufacturing and a new data center region, we look forward to further transformations, expanding 5G, AI and IoT capabilities spanning intelligent cloud and intelligent peripherals. | |
Microsoft also announced its readiness to invest in Taiwan's training and talent development; by 2024, the company intends to teach digital skills to over 200 thousand people.[6]
Microsoft is building a data center in Greece for 400 million euros and will spend 1 billion euros on business development in the country
In early October 2020, it became known that Microsoft was going to build three data centers in Athens, providing desperately needed investments of up to $1 billion to the Greek economy, which was hit by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. This was announced by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Microsoft representatives.
The news of the construction of data centers for 400 million euros followed nine months of confidential negotiations on the project, which also includes plans to organize digital skills training programs for about 100 thousand employees of the public and private sector, as well as teachers and students.
| | This significant investment is a reflection of our confidence in the Greek economy, in the Greek people and the Greek government, "Microsoft President Brad Smith said at a ceremony held at the Acropolis Museum in central Athens on October 5, 2020. | |
| | It's not something we do often, and it's not something we do easily, "he noted. | |
Greece recently emerged from the financial crisis, which lasted for several years, but the country's economy was seriously affected by the pandemic.
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has pointed to Greece's strong dependence on tourism. The Greek authorities announced their intentions to change the balance of the Greek economy during its restoration by developing the energy, technological and defense sectors. The government is losing hope of returning tens of thousands of graduates who were forced to leave the country during the crisis.
| | We are starting to create conditions for their return, "Mitsotakis said. The creation of data centers increases the attractiveness of the country for investment, he added. | |
As of early October 2020, Microsoft has data centers in 26 countries, including Microsoft in the European Union.[7]
Microsoft will build 2 data centers in Ukraine and invest $0.5 billion in the development of cloud services in the country
On October 2, 2020, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and Microsoft signed a memorandum of cooperation, under which the American corporation plans to build two data centers in the country and invest about $500 million there in the development of its cloud business. Read more here.
Microsoft builds its first data center in Italy and invests $1.5 billion in it
On May 8, 2020, it became known that it Microsoft would build the first in, Italy data center which will be located in Milan. The new project will be part of a 5-year program under which the corporation plans to invest in the Italian economy. The cost of building a new data center, as well as the implementation of a number of other initiatives in the country will amount to $1.5 billion.
Microsoft expects that the new data center will help Italian medium and small businesses overcome the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and increase growth rates thanks to the use of industrial-class cloud technologies. In particular, the company expects to increase the number of customers using Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and [[Microsoft Power Platform}|Power]] Platform at the expense of [[Microsoft Power Platform}|the]] new center in Italy.
| | We hope that our program will help preserve and strengthen local industries, provide new opportunities for entrepreneurs, and help solve some of the most difficult problems faced by this European state. In doing so, we will strive to deliver our services in full compliance with local regulatory requirements and the highest safety standards, the corporation said. | |
According to a joint calculation by the Italian division of Microsoft and the School of Management of the Polytechnic University of Milan, the economic effect of the opening of the Microsoft data center will be $9 billion for the period up to 2024 inclusive. This amount includes direct and indirect benefits for local businesses, which will be brought by construction work, maintenance, maintenance of the data center, etc. In addition, it is expected that the new project will create about 10 thousand new jobs in the region.
As of May 2020, Microsoft operates data centers in 140 states. Among European countries, they function in Spain, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.[8]
Construction of a data center in Poland for $1 billion
May 5, 2020 Microsoft announced construction data center in Poland. In this project, aimed at providing cloud services to local government agencies and businesses, the American corporation decided to invest $1 billion.
According to Reuters, citing a statement from Microsoft, the company has entered into an agreement with the Polish cloud provider Chmura Krajowa (National Cloud) on the distribution of cloud services in the country.
| | I deeply believe that Microsoft's investment in Poland will be important for companies, government agencies and the education system. They will allow them to carry out digital transformations and introduce new work standards, "said Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. | |
Chmura Krajowa was founded in 2018 by the largest Polish bank PKO Bank Polski and the Polish Development Fund (PFR) with the aim of increasing the pace of digital technology development in the state and business sectors, according to the company's website. Chmura Krajowa works on a multi-platform model, offering both in-house products and global vendor solutions
Cooperation between Chmura Krajowa and Microsoft is designed for 7 years and, among other things, includes training projects (among them - seminars, hackathons, distance education programs) for cloud technologies in Poland. In addition, the partners agreed to jointly promote developments in data analysis, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
| | We convinced the largest technology company in the world to make significant investments in Poland. The Azure cloud platform and Microsoft 365 solutions are an excellent extension of our offerings, "said Chmura Krajowa President Michał Potoczek at a deal-making conference.[9] | |
2019: Launch of the first data centers in Africa
On March 6, 2019, Microsoft announced the launch of its first data centers on the African continent, thus becoming the first major provider of cloud services provided from data centers located in the region.
Data centers are deployed in Cape Town and Johannesburg (South Africa), which have added to the list of so-called cloud regions. They consist of a group of interconnected data centers, on the basis of which Microsoft provides computing resources to corporate clients located geographically nearby.
Microsoft announced the launch of data centers in Africa in 2017 and then announced that they would be ready in 2018. However, the opening was delayed until 2019. Microsoft Azure Executive Vice President Jason Zander, in a conversation with Fortune, declined to give the reasons for the delay, but stressed that "there are many moving parts" and that some customers have already launched their corporate infrastructure in new data centers as testing or preliminary review.
In addition to Microsoft, a number of other technology and cloud companies are planning projects in Africa. So, Amazon is going to launch the Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center in Cape Town in the first half of 2020.
Companies are investing heavily in Africa because of the continent's potential economic growth, as internet connectivity expands in rural areas. According to Microsoft forecasts, announced in March 2019, spending on cloud services in South Africa will triple over the next five years, and by the end of 2020, cloud computing could create 112 thousand new jobs in the region. That number takes into account not only jobs at Microsoft, but also third-party companies, including startups, because data centers make it easier for them to build applications and set up their corporate infrastructure, Fortune notes.[10]
2018
Construction of the first data centers in Scandinavia
On June 20, 2018, Microsoft announced the construction of its first data centers in Scandinavia, following competitors.
Microsoft plans to launch in 2018, DPCs located Oslo in and around Stavanger (). Norway First, cloud services will be offered on the basis of these facilities, and Azure then it is planned to establish support for and. Office 365 Dynamics 365
One of the first customers to express a desire to use the capacity of data centers under construction in Norway was the Norwegian energy company Equinor. She entered into a seven-year contract with Microsoft, the cost of which is estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars.
| | More than a billion customers around the world trust Microsoft's intelligent cloud, which offers a platform to transform their business, says Jason Zander, executive vice president of Microsoft Azure. - With access to Microsoft Cloud from new data centers in Norway, companies will be able to strengthen through innovations in cloud computing that meet their storage, security and interoperability requirements. | |
Microsoft's plans to build the first data centers in Scandinavia became known a few months after Google announced the opening of its first Google Cloud Platform region in Finland. In addition, in June 2018, Amazon continues to prepare for the launch of its first data centers in the same region, waiting for the creation of the Swedish Amazon Web Services (AWS) center before the end of the year.
By June 21, 2018, Microsoft has eight regions of its data centers in Europe and Britain. The company has plans to expand computing sites in Switzerland, Germany, as well as Norway. In February 2018, the Norwegian government launched a new program aimed at supporting the construction of data centers in the country and attracting foreign [11]
Microsoft on the benefits of data centers underwater
In June 2018, Microsoft placed a data center underwater and talked about the benefits of the new technology. Read more here.
Opening of data centers in Germany
March 13, 2018 it became known about the opening of two new data centers Microsoft in Germany. On these sites, the American company will provide cloud services Azure mainly to German customers.
According to WirtschaftsWoche and Handelsblatt, the construction of two data centers in Germany cost Microsoft more than 100 million euros. The company itself did not comment on the volume of investments at the request of the media and only noted the following to Reuters:
| | Many customers with particularly important needs, for example, in the public sector prefer our cloud solution in Germany. We provide customers with a choice. | |
According to a Microsoft spokesman, the company is always happy to offer cloud services both in Germany and internationally.
Data centers in Germany will allow local Microsoft customers to store their data domestically, which is very important to them given the very strict privacy laws in the country.
German media write that Microsoft previously offered cloud services in Germany in cooperation with Deutsche Telekom, as well as on the basis of its data centers in Dublin and Amsterdam. However, demand in the German market was weak due to the high cost and lack of flexibility in scaling and transferring data. According to the Financial Times, the services of "national" data centers are more expensive than a standard cloud service.
The expansion of data centers in Europe is another step in Microsoft's fight against US intelligence services that are seeking cooperation. Companies like Microsoft and Google are trying to counter the authorities' data requirements and fight hacking cryptographic systems and intercepting traffic between data centers.
The Microsoft website reports that employees of the corporation do not have access to customer data without the approval and control of customers or a German trustee.[12]
2017
Purchase of wind power from General Electric for data centers in Ireland for a period of 15 years
On October 9, 2017, Microsoft entered into a 15-year agreement with General Electric to purchase electricity in Ireland. The IT giant continues to actively use renewable energy sources.[13]
Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft is purchasing all the electricity that General Electric's new 37-megawatt Tullahennel wind farm, located in Ireland, will produce. Electricity will be used to meet growing needs. cloudy data centers Microsoft Azure
The project is also aimed at obtaining important data on improving energy storage efficiency: each turbine will be equipped with a built-in battery, and companies will study how such batteries can be used to collect and store surplus energy, which will then, as necessary, be sent to the grid. It is assumed that such a solution will help to ensure constant voltage in the network, eliminating the uneven load of the network characteristic of wind farms.
| | This agreement with Microsoft allows GE to increase its already significant presence and investment in Ireland, where we have already provided jobs for more than 1,500 people, and, in particular, GE's presence in the renewable electricity market, said Andrés Isaza, commercial director of GE Renewable Energy. | |
Thanks to this deal, the amount of renewable energy acquired by Microsoft in the global market will be almost 600 MW. Such energy is cheaper than that obtained from traditional sources, which reduces the cost of maintaining data centers.
The agreement between Microsoft and GE became known a week after the announcement that the Belgian manufacturer of offshore wind farms Parkwind is becoming a strategic partner in the project to build the Oriel wind farm in the northwestern part of the Irish sea. The power station will consist of 55 turbines located 22 kilometres off the Dundalk coast and, according to Oriel Windfarm Limited, have a capacity of 330 megawatts, enough to supply electricity to around 250,000 Irish households.
Construction of the world's first gas data center
In September 2017, Microsoft announced the construction of a data center based on a gas energy source. The company claims that this is the first such project in the world.
The experimental data center, created in collaboration with McKinstry and Cummins, is being built at Microsoft's Advanced Energy Lab in Seattle, Washington, USA. The server equipment, which consists of 20 racks, is connected directly to gas pipelines and is fully powered by fuel cells instead of electricity. This approach allows you to almost double the energy efficiency of data centers, as well as reduce costs, according to Microsoft.
As a rule, if the data center is powered by power grids, electricity must be transmitted from the power plant through several substations and power lines, and then it must be converted to the desired data center voltage. In this process, a lot of energy is wasted.
The fuel cells that Microsoft is going to use in data centers significantly reduce energy losses during its generation, transmission and conversion, since these systems are powered directly from the gas main. Due to the absence of a large number of intermediate elements in such a power system, it is possible to increase the reliability of its operation and reduce the cost of its maintenance.
| | This innovation is in line with our strategy to reduce the impact on natural wealth, make better use of our resources, and reduce the amount of carbon and water use at all of our facilities while improving energy efficiency, Microsoft said in a statement.[14] | |
Construction of the first data centers in Africa
On May 18, 2017, Microsoft announced the construction of its first data centers in Africa. Thanks to this project, the American software giant expects to expand its business in the region and strengthen its competitiveness in the fight against Amazon Web Services (AWS).
According to Microsoft plans, in 2018 in Johannesburg and Cape Town () REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA will be opened, data centers used for the operation of cloud services, Azure as well as products and. Office 365 Dynamics 365
By May 2017, African users get access to Microsoft online services, the work of which is organized in European data centers - in Holland and Ireland, in particular.
| | Few places in the world today are developing as dynamically and diverse as Africa, "says Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Microsft Cloud and Enterprise Group. - In these circumstances, we see in the clouds huge opportunities to accelerate innovation and support people on the continent who are transforming their businesses, as well as in exploring new entrepreneurship opportunities and helping solve some of the most difficult problems in the world. | |
Bloomberg notes that by moving data centers closer to customers, Microsoft is ensuring faster cloud services and compliance with laws requiring local storage of personal data. Expansion in Africa will allow Microsoft to make a big push against a larger cloud rival, Amazon, the agency adds.
According to IT portal TechCrunch, by May 2017, neither Amazon nor Google have data centers in Africa, although the region continues to rapidly increase the number of data centers created by other companies. Taking into account African facilities, the number of regions in which Microsoft data centers are deployed will grow to 40.[15]
2016
The largest purchase of wind energy for data centers
In mid-November 2016, Microsoft announced the largest purchase of wind power in the company's history. The software giant is actively using renewable sources to operate its data centers, although this market is in decline.
According to Bloomberg, citing a statement from Microsoft, the corporation has entered into long-term agreements with Allianz Risk Transfer and Black Hills, involving the supply of 237 megawatts of energy from wind farms located in the US states of Kansas and Wyoming, to the Microsoft data center in Cheyenne (northwestern part of the United States).
Under the terms of the contract with Black Hills, backup generators at the Microsoft data center, if necessary, will become an additional source when providing electricity to nearby homes and organizations in Wyoming. Thus, the electric power company Black Hills will not have to build an additional power plant, the newspaper notes.
How much Microsoft will cost the contract with Allianz Risk Transfer and Black Hills is not specified. Commenting on the deals, Microsoft President and General Counsel Brad Smith said the following:
| | This is a small step into a future in which the resources of other customers can help build a more efficient, reliable and capable of integration with other power sources (e.g. wind and sun) of the power grid. | |
By the end of 2016, 44% of the energy entering Microsoft data centers will be generated from wind, solar or water, Smith said, rising to 50% by 2018. As of November 14, 2016, Microsoft has agreements to use another 20 megawatts of solar and 285 megawatts of wind power.
According to analysts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, global investment in renewable energy in the third quarter of 2016 decreased by 43% compared to the same period in 2015. The amount of expenses turned out to be the smallest since the beginning of 2013.[16]
Investing $3 billion in cloud infrastructure in Europe and opening a new data center
On October 3, 2016, Microsoft revealed its investment in the cloud business in Europe. The company also announced the opening of a new data center in this region.
Speaking at the Microsoft Ireland Tech Gathering conference in Dublin, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that in 2015 the company spent $1 billion on building infrastructure to launch and operate cloud services in the European market. Total expenditures for these purposes exceeded $3 billion.
According to Nadella, Microsoft's computing power in the European Union doubled in 2015. Around the world, several data centers were opened, which by October 2016 are located in 30 countries of the world (among them - Great Britain, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Austria and Finland), which, according to the head of Microsoft, allows us to talk about the widest coverage of cloud infrastructure among all companies in this area.
In 2017, Microsoft plans to bring to 36 the number of states in which its data centers are deployed. Among them will be France.
| | Creating a global, reliable and smart cloud platform is the foundation of our mission to empower every person and company on the planet to do better, "said Satya Nadella. | |
Synergy Research analysts estimate Microsoft's share of the market for services for deploying public cloud infrastructures in the region EMEA at 9% in the second quarter of 2016, which is three times less than the leader. Amazon Web Services Satya Nadella argues that Microsoft is much closer to when Amazon it comes to clients among government agencies, small companies and local startups.[17]
According to Gartner researchers, global spending on private clouds in 2016 will amount to $205.7 billion, and the share of Western Europe in the total figure will be 21%.
Notes
- ↑ Microsoft files plans for Chilean data center region
- ↑ Microsoft opens its greenest ever data center
- ↑ Microsoft Will Build Up To 100 New Data Centers Each Year
- ↑ Microsoft to invest $1 bln in Malaysia to set up data centres - Malaysian PM
- ↑ Microsoft announces its first Azure data center region in Denmark
- ↑ Microsoft to build first cloud region in Taiwan
- ↑ Microsoft plans $1 billion data center venture in Greece
- ↑ Microsoft announces $1.5 billion investment plan to accelerate digital transformation in Italy, including its first cloud datacenter region
- ↑ Microsoft to invest $1 billion in Polish cloud project
- ↑ Microsoft's Azure Cloud Data Centers Expands to South Africa
- ↑ investmenthttps ://venturebeat.com/2018/06/20/microsoft-to-open-its-first-datacenters-in-the-nordics-as-cloud-battle-hearts-up/Microsoft to open its first datacenters in the Nordics as cloud battle heads up
- ↑ Microsoft opens two data centers in Germany: reports
- ↑ Microsoft, GE sign agreement on new wind project in Ireland
- ↑ Redesigning Datacenters for an Advanced Energy Future
- ↑ Microsoft to Open Africa Data Centers to Seek Edge in Cloud Push
- ↑ Microsoft Signs Biggest Wind-Power Buy for Data Center
- ↑ In global cloud arms race, Microsoft spends $1 billion in Europe in past year
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