NSW govt greenlights Southern Hemisphere's largest data centre

The biggest data centre in the Southern Hemisphere has been given the green light by the NSW Labor Government.

The $3.1 billion data centre from CDC Data Centres will join 90 that are already up and running in NSW, including an existing data centre campus at Eastern Creek in Sydney’s west.

The facility is at Marsden Park in Sydney’s north-west, approximately 36 kilometres from the centre of Sydney.

It is slated to generate 220 construction jobs and 265 operational jobs.

Its claimed that the power usage will be among the most efficient in the world for data centres as CDC plans to source energy from renewable energy providers, with the aim to minimise greenhouse gas emissions from the development by up to 99 per cent by 2030.

The development will also target a Water Usage Effectiveness measure (WUE) of 0.01 through an air-based cooling system that includes chilled water, which is reused. That means for every 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy consumed by the facility, it uses only 0.01 litres of water.

The Minns Labor Government is aiming to drive further major investments through the Investment Delivery Authority (IDA), which was set up to accelerate approvals for major projects across all industries, including advanced technologies and energy.

Since opening expressions of interest in September, the IDA has received 48 proposals worth $136 billion dollars including 23 projects related to data centres and technology.

Treasurer for New South Wales Daniel Mookhey said the approval of the largest data centre for the Southern Hemisphere is an exciting step forward for digital infrastructure in NSW and Australia.

“This project will support the booming digital economy while also creating hundreds of jobs through both construction and operation, delivering more high-tech employment opportunities close to home for workers in Sydney’s west," he said.

“This $3.1 billion hyperscale data centre will be a powerhouse for Australia’s future digital economy and is a great example of digital infrastructure being delivered sustainably," said Minister for Planning and Public Places Paul Scully.

“The complex will create hundreds of jobs and provide sovereign infrastructure to make sure our most important data stays safe, and our systems stay strong.

“Whether it’s modelling climate change, running complex financial systems or just helping individuals to search and create, this facility will give people the tools they need to work faster and smarter.”

CDC is also a supplier on the Digital Transformation Agency's Data Centre Panel.