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Host in Scotland - the umbrella organisation for the Scottish data centre and subsea sector industry commissioned a report by FarrPoint & TechRe to identify 20 of the best sites for green data centre development in Scotland.
In a bid to bolster Scotland's position as a leader in sustainable data centre development, Host in Scotland—a collaborative initiative led by (this will open in a new window)Scottish Futures Trust and (this will open in a new window)Scottish Enterprise—sought to enhance its strategic vision for the country's data centre and subsea sector industry. The Green Data Centres and Digital Connectivity Vision and Action Plan published by the (this will open in a new window)Scottish Government underscores Scotland's ambition to become a premier location for zero-carbon, cost-effective data hosting solutions.
To support this vision, Host in Scotland commissioned a comprehensive update to the 2021 Data Centre Site Selection Report. The updated report aimed to identify new opportunities for data centre development by providing a detailed analysis of potential sites across Scotland.
The primary challenge was to expand the existing database of viable data centre locations and identify new sites that align with Scotland's green energy goals. The 2021 report established a foundation for potential data centre sites, but this list needed to be refreshed and extended to include locations with promising prospects for sustainable development.
The goal was to identify 20 of the most suitable sites for green data centre development that could attract significant inward investment, both for co-location facilities and hyperscale data centres.
FarrPoint, in collaboration with TechRE, undertook an extensive review and update of the original Data Centre Site Selection Report. This in-depth analysis assessed various potential sites to verify their access to renewable energy sources and alignment with Scotland’s long-term vision for sustainable data centres.
The approach included several key steps including:
In addition, FarrPoint supported the client with:
This important report highlights Scotland’s strengths in the international data centre market due to our renewable energy generating capabilities. The significant carbon footprint incurred through the processing and storage of data globally is becoming increasingly understood. I am keen that Scotland is seen to lead the way in securing datacentres which are powered by our green energy.
Innovation Minister Richard Lochhead(this will open in a new window)Dr. Andrew Muir, CEO at FarrPoint, emphasised that the updated report offered a valuable starting point for stakeholders interested in Scotland’s data centre sector.
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.
This report paves the way for future investments and growth, aligning with Scotland's vision of becoming a leading hub for zero-carbon data centres and providing a framework for attracting global investment and fostering economic growth in the digital infrastructure sector.
For further details about the report and to read more quotes from stakeholders, check out the article and full report published by FarrPoint.
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