Switch Datacenters has opened a new data center in the Amsterdam region. With the launch of this data center, AMS4, the data center capacity in and around Amsterdam has been further expanded. Due to the direct access to the AMS-IX Internet exchange and high-quality fiber connections, the Amsterdam region is a prime location for digital infrastructure in Europe, making it ideal for AMS4. The AMS4 data center is part of significant investments Switch Datacenters is making in the region.
Switch Datacenters Opens Ultra-Efficient AMS4 Near Amsterdam
Switch Datacenters has unveiled its ultra-efficient data center, AMS4, built with a modern modular design emphasizing sustainability, including the use of residual materials. With a focus on technical robustness, the data center is prepared to return significant amounts of green heat to the community.
AMS4: Ready for the Future
AMS4 is constructed on the foundation of an existing logistics building near Amsterdam Science Park. This approach allowed for the realization of the data center in just 22 months, minimizing unnecessary land use and avoiding excessive construction. By maintaining existing concrete floors and partial structures, the so-called Scope 3 emissions have been reduced by approximately 50 percent.
The layout of AMS4 is modular, providing a scalable and adaptable environment that can be modernized and expanded as needed.
AMS4 features a closed-loop cooling system that minimizes water consumption and efficiently cools the most advanced computer servers.
The design, largely developed in close collaboration with a leading IT company with the highest technical and reliability requirements globally, makes the data center extremely reliable and ready for rapidly emerging technologies such as High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
100% Green Energy
AMS4 operates on 100 percent green energy sourced from offshore wind farms and utilizes modern technology to capture heat from its customers’ computers. The excess heat can be supplied on a large scale to a potential new district heating network, contributing to the fossil-free heating of tens of thousands of homes. AMS4 has an electrical connection to a designated substation, ensuring it does not use power allocated for local businesses.
Switch Datacenters plans to deliver large-scale heat from its data centers (data-thermal energy) to the community and future heating networks, helping municipalities accelerate the energy transition.
Gregor Snip, CEO of Switch Datacenters, stated, “By repurposing existing industrial buildings and integrating heat delivery into the design, our new data center sets a new sustainability standard in the industry. This also contributes to more sustainable construction. Moreover, we have broken our own record for the realization of a sustainable data center by completing AMS4 in just 22 months. AMS4 exemplifies how we can make data centers more sustainable and how they can contribute to the energy transition.”
AMS4 is fully operational, serving a diverse group of clients, including a prominent cloud provider and a major instant messaging service. It will also house the IT infrastructure of several high-profile Dutch clients who require their data to remain physically within the Netherlands.
Expanding Green Heat Supply
In addition to the newly opened AMS4 facility, Switch Datacenters is developing over 200 MW of new, smart green capacity in and around Amsterdam. These new data centers are optimized to supply as much green heat as possible to district heating networks and greenhouse growers. They are strategically located close to heat consumers to minimize heat loss and effectively contribute to accelerating the energy transition.
