We use data every day when we get directions, attend online classes, stream our favorite TV shows, and subscribe to online services. The demand for these digital services continues to grow, and as that demand grows, so does the need to process, store, and protect vast amounts of digital information.
So how does this work? Where does “the cloud” actually reside? The answer is “data center.”
Data centers are the engines behind the digital services that help people and businesses thrive and keep the Internet running around the world. They are where the internet lives. Google tools like Search, Gmail, Maps, and ongoing AI innovations all rely on our data centers, including one in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Google is proud to call Loudoun County home since 2017, when we began building our first data center there. Since then, we've immersed ourselves in our communities and forged close partnerships with local leaders to ensure we bring the best of Google to our region. It has a positive economic, social and environmental impact.
Today, we are releasing a report with Deloitte to assess our progress and share five highlights.
- Loudoun County's economic engine. Google has opened two of its data centers in Loudoun in the past five years, with significant economic impact. The report found that Google increased the county's gross domestic product (GDP) by about $1.1 billion annually. Our operations created approximately 3,500 jobs in 2022, including approximately 400 direct jobs. In addition, the tax revenue generated by the data center helps support the county's schools, social services, and more.
- Social progress through community support. This report shows how Google is driving positive change in our communities in many ways. From 2017 to 2022, Google.org awarded $2.4 million in grants to support STEM education programs, access to clean drinking water, and help local businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. focused on conservation and efforts to strengthen the social fabric of communities. We strive to be more than just a company, we are partners in finding ways to promote the well-being of our communities. As an example, we have a long-term partnership with Mobile Hope and have supported several of their initiatives. This includes the launch of Trading Up, a trade school aimed at equipping 18- to 24-year-olds with the skills they need to get into plumbing, electrical work, HVAC work, and other high-paying skilled jobs. included.
- Training tomorrow's workforce. The growth of Northern Virginia's technology industry, including data centers, requires an increasing number of skilled workers. To address this need, Google has partnered with 16 educational institutions across the commonwealth, including Northern Virginia Community College, which offers Grow with Google Career Certifications. Students successfully completed her 3-6 month training courses and earned certifications in various technology-related subjects such as cybersecurity, data analysis, and IT support. 75% of graduates report positive career outcomes after completing the program.
- Achieving a cleaner future. Google's data centers are among the most efficient in the world, running on average 1.5 times more energy efficient than a typical enterprise data center and 3 times more energy efficient on the same amount of electricity than a typical enterprise data center compared to five years ago. Provides twice the computing power. Google is the first major company to set an ambitious 2030 goal to run its business on carbon-free energy (CFE) every hour of every day in every data center and campus around the world. To support this ambition, in 2021 he announced his 10-year agreement with AES to supply carbon-free energy 24/7 to his Google data center in Virginia. In 2022, Loudoun's data center was 60% powered by carbon-free power sources and 39.4% from the regional energy mix.
- Climate-conscious water managers. Google's commitment to responsible water use includes a climate-smart approach to data center cooling, complemented by assessing water-related risks at the site and watershed level and Intentional water management is centered around working with experts to address challenges. For example, we recently partnered with the Chesapeake Bay Alliance (Alliance) and the Maryland-Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative (MDVA) to install riparian buffers along the perimeter of dairy farms in Northern Virginia. announced that they had succeeded in improving the water quality in the area. .
We continue to serve the Loudoun County community, and we're just getting started. Northern Virginia has proven to be a great place for us to put down roots, and we're excited about our continued growth with the recent opening of a new data center campus in Prince William County. We look forward to building on our existing momentum in Loudoun County and finding new ways to contribute in the future.