Tech giant Google has announced a €5 billion ($5.4 billion) investment in Belgium to expand its AI and cloud computing infrastructure by 2027, marking one of the country’s largest-ever digital economy initiatives. The expansion will significantly grow Google’s St. Ghislain data center campus, create 300 new jobs, and strengthen Belgium’s position as a European hub for both AI innovation and sustainable digital infrastructure. With this move, Belgium joins the front line of Europe’s clean data revolution where technology, climate goals, and industrial competitiveness are increasingly intertwined.

Expanding the Backbone of Europe’s AI Economy

Announced during the Belgian Economic Mission to the U.S., the investment reinforces Google’s long-term commitment to Europe’s digital transformation. The project will expand the company’s Belgium Cloud region, one of 42 worldwide, which underpins AI-enabled services for local enterprises such as Odoo, UZ Leuven, and AZ Delta. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever hailed the decision as “a vote of confidence in Belgium’s ability to merge innovation with sustainability.” He emphasized that the project advances national goals for both energy transition and digital sovereignty, two key pillars of Europe’s competitiveness.

Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Vice President of the Walloon Government, said the investment consolidates Wallonia’s role as “a European hub for data processing and AI development,” adding that it will stimulate employment, infrastructure upgrades, and local economic resilience.

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A Blueprint for Carbon-Free Data Infrastructure

At the heart of Google’s investment is a series of clean energy agreements totaling over 110 MW with renewable providers Eneco, Luminus, and Renner. These deals will ensure that all St. Ghislain operations run on 24/7 carbon-free energy, a key step in Google’s global goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. The company will also collaborate with Centrica Energy and Elia, Belgium’s grid operator, to deploy advanced battery storage and demand-response systems that stabilize energy supply during peak AI computing hours. With these new commitments, Google now supports 365 MW of renewable generation in Belgium alone, contributing to Europe’s wider carbon-free electricity (CFE) targets. Since 2010, Google has signed more than 4.5 GW of renewable energy contracts across Europe, making it one of the region’s largest corporate clean energy buyers. The St. Ghislain expansion continues this trajectory — embedding sustainability into the infrastructure powering Europe’s digital and AI transformation.

Economic Catalyst for Belgium’s Digital Future

The new €5 billion investment brings Google’s total financial commitment in Belgium to over €11 billion since its arrival in 2007. The St. Ghislain data center, which currently employs around 600 people, will add another 300 full-time positions in engineering, technical operations, and facility management by 2027. A study by Université de Mons and Deloitte found that Google’s existing facilities contributed €697 million in GDP between 2022 and 2024, with projections of €1.5 billion annually once the new campus is operational. The ripple effect is expected to support 15,000 indirect jobs per year, engaging nearly 150 Belgian suppliers, most of them small and medium-sized enterprises in Wallonia. Local leaders view the expansion as a catalyst for regional development.

Florence Monier, Mayor of St. Ghislain, praised the collaboration with the IDEA inter-city agency, calling it “a project that creates new opportunities not just for Google, but for our entire ecosystem.”

Building Belgium’s AI Workforce

Beyond infrastructure, Google is investing in human capital. Through Google.org, the company will fund local nonprofits and universities to offer free AI and digital training programs designed to upskill workers in high-demand fields such as automation, data analytics, and machine learning. According to an Implement Consulting study commissioned by Google, the broad adoption of generative AI could boost Belgium’s GDP by €45–50 billion over the next decade. The company’s workforce initiatives aim to ensure that local employees can capture that growth through practical, career-oriented AI skills.

“AI is transforming how economies grow,” said Bikash Koley, Google’s Vice President for Global Infrastructure. “Our investment in Belgium deepens our roots in Europe and reflects our belief that technology, sustainability, and opportunity can advance together.”

Beyond Energy: A Broader Sustainability Vision

Complementing its energy strategy, Google has launched a regional water stewardship initiative to mitigate environmental impact. Partnering with Shayp, a Belgian startup specializing in IoT leak detection, Google will install monitoring systems across 240 public and commercial buildings near St. Ghislain. The program is expected to save 500 cubic meters of water annually by 2030, contributing to Google’s global goal of replenishing 120% of the water it consumes. This integrated approach spanning energy, water, and community investment aligns with the European Green Deal and Belgium’s national sustainability strategy. It also positions Google as a corporate model for responsible digital infrastructure, where environmental commitments evolve alongside technological growth.

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A Strategic Node in Europe’s AI and Climate Transition

As global demand for AI computing power surges, Europe faces mounting pressure to balance digital capacity with climate responsibility. Google’s expansion in Belgium demonstrates how multinational tech firms can help achieve both: advancing economic growth while anchoring it in renewable energy and environmental performance. Belgium’s strong renewable base, policy stability, and highly skilled workforce make it a natural testing ground for this dual mission. For the European Union, the project’s success could serve as a template for clean AI infrastructure across member states where digital sovereignty, carbon neutrality, and economic competitiveness converge. In a world racing to build the foundations of artificial intelligence, Google’s €5 billion investment is more than a data center expansion. It’s a statement of intent that the future of AI must be powered by clean energy, trained by inclusive skills, and grounded in shared prosperity.

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