Municipal authorities in Gießen, in the German state of Hesse, have approved construction of a new data center developed by Revikon. The facility will occupy six hectares and create 200 permanent jobs, according to Data Center Dynamics. The project is expected to cost more than €1 billion ($1.1bn) and is designed to consume up to 65MW of power—more than the town it is being built in, DataCenterInsider reported.
The council vote was 38 of 57 members in favor, but the decision was not unanimous. Critics said construction would generate unnecessary traffic-related disruption in the area, Der neue Landbote reported, and called for a rally protesting the development on 13 September. Stefan Lechner, professor of energy economics and energy systems at the Technical University of Central Hesse, told Hessenschau the development is too large: “I think it’s too big. And let’s be clear: it’s being built this large because it’s more profitable.”
The site is a 16.75-hectare plot west of Gießen known as Katzenfeld. Construction is scheduled to start toward the end of this year, though the facility’s operator has yet to be chosen. That decision will be made by Revikon and Gießen’s municipal authorities, allowing for further technical refinement of the design. Revikon has previously announced plans to use waste heat from the site to warm local homes, though critics have questioned whether demand for such a system exists in the area.
If built, this would be Gießen’s first data center. Developer interest in Hesse remains strong, but municipal support is not guaranteed. In July, a €3 billion ($3.4bn) Stack Infrastructure development in Babenhausen was cancelled after local government opposition. In February, the Groß-Gerau city council refused to let Vantage build a €2.5 billion ($2.97bn) data center outside the town. What remains unknown is whether the Gießen project will face further local resistance or whether the waste-heat plan will prove viable.