Perhaps the run-down trading estate to the west of London has only gotten worse since. However, it’s not a place you would want to completely destroy.
Slough is currently the second-biggest data hub globally and the largest in Europe.
Here, almost all foreign exchange transactions go via a single data center.
Not only do others handle most of the data flow on the internet worldwide, ranging from AI models to cat videos, but they also process 95% of card sales in the capital.
Industry research indicates that this demand is increasing at a rate of about 35% each year.
However, the computers that are analyzing that data—particularly the ones that are using AI models—are requiring more and more power.
Not only does the online world require electricity to operate its servers, but it also requires water and more power to run the extensive cooling systems.
According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) most recent research, the world’s need for power for data centers is expected to treble by 2026.
