Amazon Web Services (AWS) is investing 15.7 billion euros in the expansion of their data centers in Aragon that will convert these facilities into the largest in the company of the company. From the company they hope to generate 17,500 direct and indirect jobs over the next 10 years.
We talked to David Blázquez, responsible for institutional relations for infrastructure, energy and sustainability in Aws Iberia about the effects of this project in Aragon and on the challenges of Spain in digitalization. He acknowledges that “we all suffer a bit of digital diogenes syndrome by keeping files that we do not need”, and that “this amount of information we accumulate can be a challenge.” The company has already clarified that they will continue with these projects despite the request of Donald Trump to the US companies to return home.
How are AWS services contributing to the development of digital and critical infrastructure in Spain?
AWS services are significantly contributing to the development of digital and critical infrastructure in Spain, and very prominent in Aragon. Our cloud region of AWS in Europe (Spain), located in Aragon, provides a wide range of cloud services, which include computing, storage, databases, analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), automatic learning (ml), Internet of things (IoT) and much more.
What is translated?
These services not only allow Spanish companies and organizations, from startups to large corporations, innovate faster and operate more efficiently, but also feel the foundations for a more robust and resilient digital economy.
What cloud service market share control in Spain right now?
AWS is the leader of Cloud Services in Spain, with an outstanding market share. I cannot reveal specific figures, but among our clients there are more than 75% of the companies that quote on IBEX35.
What note does it put to the digital development of Spain? What do we have to do? What sector are doing better and which one is more delayed?
He has experienced remarkable progress in recent years, but there are still areas of improvement. Although some sectors, such as financial services, manufacturing and energy, have quickly adopted technologies such as generative AI, other sectors, such as tourism and health, are still in earlier stages of their digital transformation.
What to do?
Spain needs to invest in the training of digital talent, promote innovation and public-private collaboration, and create a regulatory environment that promotes the adoption of new technologies.
How do work march for the new data centers announced in Aragon?
The expansion works of our data centers in Aragon march at a good pace. It will generate 17,500 direct and indirect jobs over the next 10 years, strengthening local business fabric.
When will they be operational?
We still cannot give an exact date for the completion of the expansion, but we work so that the new data centers are operational as soon as possible.
What criteria do AWS use to decide the location of new data centers?
We seek locations that offer proximity to our clients to minimize latency, availability of renewable energy, access to qualified talent, a favorable regulatory environment and the possibility of climbing our operations in a sustainable and scalable way. In the case of Aragon, the availability of land, the support of the regional government and the potential for sustainable resources were key factors in our decision.
What other projects in this field contemplate starting in Spain/Iberia?
In addition to the expansion of our data centers in Aragon, AWS plans to continue investing in renewable energy projects in Spain to feed our operations with 100% clean energy. Have 17 new renewable energy projects On a large scale, which consist of wind farms and solar plants, with a combined renewable capacity of 870 MW. With these, Amazon has promoted in Spain a total of 94 solar and wind projects that will provide more than 3.7 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy, sufficient capacity to feed the equivalent of more than 2.3 million Spanish homes per year.
To what extent is public-private collaboration in these projects?
It is essential for the success of our infrastructure projects. From the necessary permits to ensure access to essential resources such as energy and water, promote the development of local talent and define the needs of local communities where we will have our centers with the aim of generating a positive long -term impact.
Are they going to generate all the clean energy necessary to supply these AWS infrastructures?
In AWS we are committed to the use of 100% renewable energy to feed our operations. In fact, our Data Centers in Aragon operates with clean energy since our opening in November 2022. However, Amazon is the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in Spain, Europe and the world in 2024. Our goal is to generate the clean energy necessary to supply our infrastructure and contribute to the transition to a more sustainable energy future.
Do you consider marketing the energy that is able to produce and that will never need or will never reach that point?
Our main focus is the sustainability of our logistics centers, our corporate offices and our data centers, in addition to the development of the regions where our facilities are located.
Do you think we can put in the same phrase ‘data centers’ and ‘sustainability’?
Of course. In AWS, we demonstrate that it is possible to operate data centers sustainably using renewable energy, reducing water consumption and returning part of it to the community, minimizing the environmental impact and contributing to the development of local communities. Our data centers in Aragon are an example of this commitment.
AWS has pledged to achieve the objective of zero net emissions by 2040. Is it feasible to reach that goal? How are they going to do it?
It is true that it is an ambitious objective, but it is attainable. To achieve this, we use 100% renewable energy, we optimize energy efficiency in our data centers, reduce water consumption and collaborate with partners to minimize our environmental impact throughout our value chain. Already in 2023, the Amazon Group managed to match 100% of the electricity we use in all our operations worldwide with renewable energy.
Maybe we have exceeded (companies and citizens) accumulating and keeping data that we will never use or need and maybe we are not aware that they are there?
It is true that we all suffer a bit of ‘Diogenes Digital’ and, sometimes, this amount of information we accumulate can be a challenge. Every year the traffic and volume records that are turned on the network are beaten and this is not a trend that seems to be reduced, but quite the opposite. We believe that responsible management is essential for sustainability and efficiency.
Is the deletion of useless data or photos that we do not want from our devices and cloud is really taken as a sustainability awareness practice?
Of course. Useless or unnecessary data erased reduces the amount of energy necessary to store and manage that data. While the individual impact can be small, the sum of many small gestures contributes to a more sustainable future. In addition, this may have additional benefits, since this data erased can also improve privacy and information security. It’s like everything in this life: you have to make responsible use.
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