Report identifies new opportunities for data centres in Scotland

Author: Isha Jain

A new report commissioned by Host in Scotland has identified 20 best sites for green data centre development.

The Data Centre Site Selection report provides the market with recommendations on potential new data centres locations across Scotland, with the aim of attracting inward investment of major colocation facilities or hyperscale development. 

Host in Scotland has commissioned consultancies, FarrPoint and TechRE, to review its original Site Selection report from 2021.

Its work identifies five new sites: Aberdeen ETZ, Queensferry One and Westfield Park in Fife, Millerhill in Midlothian and Whitecross Innovation Park, Falkirk. Each of them features a potential availability for renewable energy, bringing the list of potential sites across Scotland to 20.

The study follows up on the Scottish Government’s publication, Green Data centres and Digital Connectivity Vision and Action Plan, which positions Scotland as a zero-carbon, cost-competitive location.

Dr Andrew Muir, CEO at FarrPoint says, “With its expanded list of desirable sites, our updated report is likely to be of great interest to current data centre owners or operators in Scotland, as well as potential new entrants to the market, infrastructure providers and investors. 

“The methodology and approach are consistent with how the data centre industry identifies sites for further detailed due diligence, so the report provides a reliable and useful starting point and guide to investigating data centre opportunities.”

Henry Sutton, Director at TechRE says, “Scotland’s climate and renewable energy capability makes it an ideal location for data centres. Our new report comes at an opportune time for the country, as data centres increasingly seek out access to large sources of sustainable energy whilst plans for renewable projects, particularly major windfarms off the coast of Scotland come to fruition.”