Data centers, which are warehouses housing computers, are the backbone of the digital economy and power cloud computing. Everything from browsing on a mobile device to AI learning depends on the massive amount of computing power that they supply, along with the connectivity, electricity, and security needed.
With more than 500 data centers, most of which are located in the South East, the UK is now the largest data hub in Europe.
Due in major part to its close proximity to transatlantic connectors and the City of London, whose financial businesses and banks were initially the biggest customers for computation power, Slough in west London serves as the industry’s historic foundation.
The government designated data centers as “critical national infrastructure” last month, placing them on par with railroads and power plants. However, the industry asserts that a more all-encompassing strategy is required to meet the growing demand brought on by power-hungry AI processors.
ofofThere is a premium on continued growth in the southeast because to high land prices, competition for grid connections, and local resistance, which has forced some businesses to look outside of the industry’s typical base.
