Data centre operators stake green incentive claims

The claim, voiced by Galileo Connect Asia Pacific director, Bruce McEwen, is one of a growing number of calls from data centre operators for the Rudd government to encourage the development of more energy efficient facilities with more incentives and green grants.

Galileo Connect is currently proposing to build what it claims will be the largest data centre campus in Australia in the nation’s capital.

If approved, the campus would consist of eight centres and 14 data halls of 1,000 square metres each in size. The approximate value of the investment is anticipated to be around $800 million.

“[With the campus design], we believe we’re offering a cleaner solution. We expect to achieve an effective reduction in emissions to the atmosphere of around 77 percent,” said McEwen.

“Walk out and tell me which Australian industry is going to offer that sort of reduction and isn’t putting its hand out asking for a government rebate.

“We should be paid $20 to $30 million by government to get customers out of their old data centres,” McEwen told iTNews.

Fujitsu Australia is another company to invest heavily in a new sustainable data centre facility at Homebush Bay in Sydney.

Its general manager of data centre services, Michael Gunton, told iTNews that despite an investment running into the ‘tens of millions’ of dollars, Fujitsu had been unsuccessful in securing funding or incentives via Austrade.

Gunton in part blamed the Liberal-to-Labor transition in Canberra for Fujitsu’s lack of success in securing assistance, however he called on the government to lead by example when it comes to green IT.

“I think the government should play a leading role in advising clients to move to more efficient facilities, rather than have a number of smaller operators continue to build small data centres,” Gunton said.

McEwen echoed Fujitsu’s sentiments: “We need support from the government to acknowledge this project and take a leadership position by considering this facility to house their own computing equipment.”

Last week, VMware also joined the fray of IT firms lobbying for the provision of greater incentives for businesses that adopt green technology.

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