Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > News > Mac News > Apple investing $1.9 billion in two new European data centers

Apple investing $1.9 billion in two new European data centers
Thread Tools
NewsPoster
MacNN Staff
Join Date: Jul 2012
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 08:52 AM
 
Apple is expanding its data center collection and improving its online services in Europe, by creating two more "state-of-the-art" facilities on the continent. New constructions based in County Galway, Ireland and Jutland, Denmark will both run completely on renewable energy, with the total investment expected to cost 1.7 billion euro ($1.9 billion) when completed.

Much like other Apple data centers, the two will use renewable energy sources from the very first day, with Apple working with local companies to create more renewable energy projects for future power needs. The projects will also be designed to try and minimize impact to the environment, and enhance the surrounding local area.

The Irish data center construction will involve the recovery of land previously used for growing and harvesting non-native trees, restoring native trees to Derrydonnell Forest in the process, as well as the creation of an outdoor education space for local schools. In Denmark, the center will be located close to one of the country's largest electrical substations, removing the need include additional generators. The facility will also capture excess heat and transfer it to the district heating system, to help warm nearby homes.

"We believe that innovation is about leaving the world better than we found it, and that the time for tackling climate change is now," said Vice President of Environmental Initiatives Lisa Jackson. "We're excited to spur green industry growth in Ireland and Denmark and develop energy systems that take advantage of their strong wind resources. Our commitment to environmental responsibility is good for the planet, good for our business, and good for the European economy."

Measuring 166,000 square meters (1.8 million square feet) each, Apple expects to complete construction and begin operations in 2017.
     
bobolicious
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Aug 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 12:05 PM
 
Why does Apple want with all our data, globally...? Will Apple turn evil, or are they mandated by external influences ? Reminds me of the phrase "too big to fail..."

Does the current 'bait & switch' setup of Safari privacy & one way iCloud migrations beg such important questions...?
     
Jeronimo2000
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Aug 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 12:43 PM
 
bobo, stop trolling. Apple doesn't WANT all your data necessarily for evil purposes, but it NEEDS to store all that data that you choose to save in iCloud. Wait, you don't use iCloud? Great, but millions of other do. Don't judge.

Plus, there's all that content in the iOS and Mac App Store, the iTunes Store, Beats Music (or whatever it will be called soon), all those iOS and Mac updates (some of them a few GBs in size), and so on. If that kind of stuff could be delivered "locally" (= not having to cross the pond), it wouldn't be the worst thing.

Data centers in Europe are badly needed, and not just for transmission speed reasons. There's EU data protection laws (http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/data-protection/news/120125_en.htm) and a whole lot more to consider.
     
bobolicious
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Aug 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 01:58 PM
 
...well if 'Citizen Four' is any indication, I'll leave it to others to rely on data protection laws...
     
jonn804
Forum Regular
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 02:10 PM
 
Since the data centers will be located off-shore, I wonder if Apple is allowed to use its off-shore money to fund the data centers construction? Would it be a way to save US tax money?
-------------------
Dual G5 2.0, MBP, 23" ACD and 30" ACD, 1 TB storage, iPods
     
Spheric Harlot
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 03:44 PM
 
It would certainly be a way to finally reinvest some of the overseas profits.

Originally Posted by bobolicious View Post
Why does Apple want with all our data, globally...? Will Apple turn evil, or are they mandated by external influences ? Reminds me of the phrase "too big to fail..."

Does the current 'bait & switch' setup of Safari privacy & one way iCloud migrations beg such important questions...?
Well, for one, the best thing they can do is to build data centers for us European customers and LEAVE OUR DATA HERE.
Because we actually have data privacy laws.
I trust Apple a WHOLE lot more than I trust your government (although it's become clear that I can't trust our government either).

Simply because Apple has zero incentive to do anything nefarious with that data — they've already made their money off me via hardware profit margins. Like, WAY more money than ANY of the data-mining companies can ever hope to make.
(IIRC, Apple's profit GAIN in FY 2014 over 2013 was about equal to Google's ENTIRE profit for FY 2014. Why on Earth would they want to betray customers' trust and abuse their data? It would be suicide!)
     
bobolicious
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Aug 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 05:38 PM
 
...Apple seems invested in alternative monetization... https://developer.apple.com/iad/
     
Jeronimo2000
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Aug 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 23, 2015, 06:25 PM
 
iAd? Seriously? Now you're just coming across as a little desperate.

Ok, I know... I shouldn't be feedin'.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:17 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,