Athens, Greece – September 11th, 2024 – Data4, a leading European data center provider, announced today at the Platform Global 2024 event, a first major investment of over 300 million euros to develop a new data center campus in Paiania, Athens Region, Greece. This investment is part of the group’s €7 billion European expansion plan by 2030, which aims to make it Europe’s leading data center operator.
Data4 Group has a pan-European footprint and operates in several markets such as France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Germany and is now entering the Greek market, a promising hub of connectivity in the Mediterranean.
“We are delighted to expand our footprint in Greece, a country that offers strategic advantages in terms of location, connectivity, and economic potential. This investment will not only support our growth ambitions but will also make a significant contribution to the local economy and digital ecosystem in Greece. As data centers are the safebox of data management for companies and public administration, they support the development of cloud and AI services and are essential for the functioning of efficient and sustainable digital uses for the Greek citizens” said Olivier Micheli, President and CEO of Data4.
A strategic location and an employment pool
The new campus will be located in an industrial zone, ensuring proximity to substantial power resources. ATH1 will be built on a 7.5-hectare plot in Paiania, and will be powered with up to 90 MW of power capacity.
A data center campus acts as a catalyst for job creation, driving local employment and boosting the economy. Data4’s ATH1 will encompass a wide range of skills: managers, engineers, technicians, workers, etc. The Group estimates that by 2030 it will have created more than 7,000 permanent jobs, across its campuses in Europe and over 500 permanent jobs in its Greek campus.
Greece, a strategic connectivity hub
Greece’s advantageous position as a hub between Europe, Asia, and Africa makes it an ideal location for international connectivity projects. The country’s integration into the global network is further strengthened by the landing of several major submarine cables, such as the AAE-1 cable system, which connects Greece to key markets in the Far East, Middle East, and Africa.
It is estimated that by the end of 2024, 20 subsea cables will be connecting Greece to the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) region and Asia. At the same time, the Greek data center market is growing rapidly, with total market capacity expected to more than double by 2030.
By 2030, the number of data centers in Europe is set to increase by a factor of 2.5, to around 23 GW of installed capacity. Almost half of this capacity (11 GW) should be dedicated to artificial intelligence, according to Data4 studies; and Greece will not be an exception to this fundamental trend.
Innovation, sustainability and AI development
With the advent of artificial intelligence, the ability of data centers to process billions of data in real time becomes even more crucial. AI harnesses the computational power of data centers to analyze, interpret and predict trends, optimizing resource management and improving the essential services offered to citizens. In an era where data-driven decisions are crucial, the data center infrastructure, supported by artificial intelligence, is the pillar on which sustainable digital growth is built.
To ensure such a sustainable digital growth, Data4’s goal is to achieve BREEAM certification with an “Excellent” rating for its data centers in Greece. This certification covers key criteria, including energy efficiency, water management, sustainable materials such as low-carbon concrete, and the preservation of biodiversity. By meeting these rigorous standards, Data4 will be among the first in Europe and the very first in Greece to have BREEAM-certified data centers, setting a new benchmark for sustainability in the industry.
Moreover, Data4 Group has introduced a number of innovations, in all its campus sites across Europe, aimed at reducing its environmental footprint, such as the use of AI models to improve energy efficiency and extend the lifespan of equipment through predictive maintenance. AI is being used to enhance the resilience and scalability of the company’s data centers, making them better equipped to handle the growing demands of AI workloads.
