Business

€1 billion data centre to open in Dublin

Vantage’s new Grange Castle facility will include 52MW of IT capacity in its first two phases

Dublin project will be Vantage’s 14th campus in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Stock photograph: iStock

Ciara O'Brien
Wed Apr 24 2024 - 15:51

Global data centre company Vantage is to open its first operation in Ireland, investing more than €1 billion in a large new campus in Dublin.

Located in Profile Park, Grange Castle, the new data centre project will include 52MW of IT capacity in the first two phases, split between a 32MW facility and a 20MW facility, with space for a third if needed on the 405,000sq ft (37625sq m) campus. Permission for the project was granted in July 2022.

The multiphase project will be Vantage’s 14th campus in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The first phase is expected to be operational by the end of the year. It will employ 1,100 people during the peak of its construction, with 165 jobs created to operate the campus.

“With Dublin being one of the biggest data centre markets in the world, this expansion further solidifies Vantage’s role at the forefront of the digital infrastructure revolution and signifies the start of a strong partnership with local officials and the community,” said David Howson, president, EMEA at Vantage Data Centers.

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The project was welcomed by the South Dublin Chamber. “Vantage Data Centers will not only be contributing to local employment and taxation but will be ensuring the safety of our data and future-proofing business for years to come with this major investment in technology,” said chief executive Peter Byrne.

Data centres have become a contentious topic in recent months amid concerns over energy use. In August 2022, South Dublin County Council was ordered by the Government to reverse a ban on the development of new data centres in the region, saying it breached national and regional policy.

The Vantage campus will have an on-site 100MVA multi-fuel generation plant that can run fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and gas. Vantage said this would alleviate pressure on energy demand from the grid, and also offers the capability of funnelling power back to the grid to boost power availability in the Dublin area.

HVO is also planned for the campus’s backup generators, replacing diesel, and the data centre giant is also working on striking corporate power purchase agreements for green energy.

“Vantage is committed to environmental responsibility and is pleased that our sustainability goals, including reducing emissions, achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and maximising energy efficiency, align closely with those of the Irish government and regulatory bodies as we continue growing Ireland’s position as a leader in the digital age for cloud computing,” said Jinél Fourie, director of public policy, EMEA at Vantage Data Centers.

“As environmental technology continues to advance, including the inaugural use of a multi-fuel generation plant in Dublin, we look forward to continuing our local partnerships to explore additional solutions to enhance the local community.”

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist

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