Green-powered data farm to be built

THUS, a Cable & Wireless business, has joined forces with Internet Villages International (IVI) in order to develop the world's first green powered data farm.

Along with other agencies and partners, THUS and IVI will provide data centre buildings of various sizes as well as building 1000 new homes which will be connected with 100Mbps high speed internet access to create a fully sustainable community.

IVI is investing 1.2 billion to build the three million square feet of next generation data storage. Once completed, it will be the largest of its type in the world and will supply 100 per cent renewable energy via four diverse power feeds.

Steve White, the marketing director of IVI, stated that with the push for cloud computing, the "next generation data farm will transform the rural economy and propel Scotland to the forefront of the global data storage sector."

Waste energy from the data centre will also be recycled and used to power local homes and horticultural businesses.

The mega data farm is to be built in Scotland because of the availability of renewable resources and cost efficiency savings, along with the aid of a 32 million broadband project announced earlier this month.

"The location offers the potential for us to do this in a way which minimises impact on the environment and creates a connected community that is both carbon-neutral and self sustaining," said White.