Microsoft opens first data centres in Belgium
Microsoft inaugurated its first three data centres in Belgium on Tuesday, officially launching the new cloud region “Azure Belgium Central.” The facilities, which took four years to build, represent the company’s largest investment in Belgium to date. While Microsoft has not disclosed the exact figure, specialised media estimate the investment at over 1 billion euros.
An increasing number of companies and institutions are turning to cloud services for data storage and for the additional computing power required by AI applications. The proximity of data centres is particularly important for technologies that depend on rapid response times, such as self-driving vehicles or remote medical operations. For certain government and corporate clients, it is also essential that sensitive data remain within Belgian territory.
For security reasons, Microsoft is not revealing the precise locations of the data centres. However, the company confirmed that all three facilities are situated within Belgium and tailored specifically to the Belgian market. “We listened to the needs of our customers, who asked to do business locally,” said Frank Callewaert, National Technology Officer at Microsoft Belux.
Economic impact and job creation
Microsoft explained that the new data centres will deliver substantial economic benefits. “This infrastructure offers the flexibility to grow and innovate,” the company said, projecting billions of euros in additional economic activity and tens of thousands of new jobs over the next four years.
The environmental impact of data centres has long been a point of criticism due to their significant energy use and CO₂ emissions. Callewaert states that Microsoft deploys highly efficient technologies, such as advanced server-cooling systems, that are considerably more sustainable than the older infrastructure still used by many companies.
Potential for future expansion
With demand for cloud services continuing to rise, Microsoft does not rule out further expansion. “Our largest cloud regions in Europe are located in Amsterdam and Dublin, but those involve much more than just three buildings,” Callewaert noted, suggesting the scale that future Belgian developments could reach.
The announcement comes shortly after Google announced a major expansion of its own Belgian data centre in Saint-Ghislain, where the company plans to invest 5 billion euros in additional infrastructure.
© IMAGEBROKER
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